644 Forestry Quarterly. 



while private owners were obliged to submit felling plans to be 

 approved. (These acreage figures do not coincide with other 

 figures in the various reports!) 



A service consisting of three administrators and twelve for- 

 esters, with a number of native guards was organized, and a be- 

 ginning made at least in regulating exploitation and securing 

 protection against fire. 



The annual burnings for grass are being stopped ; and even 

 private forest property is already under restriction, in so far as 

 not more than three quarters of forest property may be cleared, 

 and in brush forests clearing and burning-over is altogether for- 

 bidden; indeed, cutting and peeling of bark may only be done by 

 permit, and the permit may require reforestation. Penalties, 

 money and imprisonment, are threatened for transgressions and 

 especially for incendiarism. 



The forest administration itself exploits only for small home 

 consumption except the mangrove forests at Rufidgi (35,000 

 acres), in which some eight mangrove species are enumerated, some 

 fit for small sawtimber {Rhizophora mucronata, and Bruguiera 

 gymnorhiza) , with very hard, brown to red wood, teredo proof; 

 some for wagonstock (Carapa molhiccensis and obavatus) ; some 

 for other small uses and fuel. The bark (up to 45 per cent, 

 tannin) promises to become an object of trade. Otherwise the 

 exploitation for export mainly is carried on by private operators 

 under a timberlicense system or under special contracts, several 

 such licenses and contracts having been entered upon. 



This exploitation has so far failed to be lucrative ; the expecta- 

 tions of a large income from the start were not realized (as 

 could have been foretold), and a reduction in the operations 

 has been the result. Only one larger operation in cedar forest and 

 two small ones in mangrove bark, besides one large one on 

 private territory, have maintained themselves. Large investments 

 in costly railroad construction have been made, and it cannot yet 

 be foreseen whether these will secure adequate returns. Besides, 

 a number of small sawmills are at work for home consumption. 



The greatest activity seems to have been developed in the direc- 

 tion of plantations, in the mountains at headwaters as well as in 

 the dry plains. These plantations are in part experimental, in 



