INDIAN STATE FORESTRY. 217 



of the soil, a severe and prolonged drought has often signalised 

 the beginning of the end. 



A liberal intermixture with deciduous species, or even with 

 Abies alba or Douglas, has always proved to be a most 

 effective preventive or remedy against the asphixiation of 

 spruce or spruce mixed with pine. As a proof of this a case 

 is recorded where a mixed forest is divided from a pure spruce 

 forest by nothing but a straight road. Every spruce, young 

 and old, in the pure forest was diseased, whereas not a single 

 diseased tree was to be found in the mixed forest. 



It is not stated whether the Scots pine if unaccompanied by 

 spruce is, on these heather lands, liable to self-asphixiation ; 

 but as they are, failing this, doomed to extermination by root 

 diseases, fungi, or other causes, it is a matter of no vital 

 importance whether asphixiation plays a part in their death. 



The one fact stands out that a mixed forest is a safeguard 

 against every one of the dangers which threaten the pure pine 

 or pure spruce, or spruce and pine plantations, on heather 

 lands, waste lands, or old fields. 



31. Indian State Forestry.^ 



By Saint-IIili. Eardley-Wilmot, CLE. 

 (Late Inspector-General of Forests. ) 

 The last twenty years have formed, as is well known, a period 

 of great progress in India. In spite of frequent set-backs, due 

 to famine and pestilence, the population has largely increased, 

 and perhaps still more marked has been the extension of 

 railways and of the feeder roads that are necessary to their 

 working. I select these two items because they have the 

 most important bearing on State forestry, and because to them 

 is largely due the corresponding progress in the successful 

 practice of this science. It is admitted that to make the practice 

 of forestry remunerative, it is necessary everywhere, but especially 

 in India, that there should exist a good demand for forest 

 products and sure means of transport. This demand exists in 

 India, but difficulties of transport make it impossible to satisfy 

 it in many parts of the country. The importance of the Indian 

 forests may be realised from the fact that the area of 240,000 



^ Abstract of a paper read before the Indian^Section of the Royal Society 

 of Arts, on loth March 1910. 



VOL. XXIII. PART II. P 



