= 81 — 



present rate of consumption and waste, timber for the wants 

 of the community will soon have to be imported * 



" The Mauritius Forest Law of 1854, has lately been ex- 

 tended to Seychelles, and I would remark not before time, 

 as well for the public as private welfare in the future. 



" Encroachments have been made on the River Reserves 

 in every direction — even to the felling of every tree at their 

 sources — by Grovernment as well as by private land owners. 

 However it is to be hoped that a strict application of the 

 law will put a stop to shuch practices, the more especially as 

 the G-overnor has discretionary powers over two-thirds of 

 the Mountain's elevation. 



" No permission should be granted under any circumstan- 

 ces to cultivate or to clear the timber off the tops of thg 

 mountains, i. e. within the last third of their elevation from 

 the sea. Within the second third of the elevation (from the 

 sea level) permission may be granted, — every circumstan- 

 ce, of each case, being taken into consideration. In this 

 case the Government should control the clearing of the lands 

 as well as their cultivation, 



" It ought not to be forgotten in the application of the law 

 that more attent.on should be paid to the reservation of timber 

 on the lands on which the waters of springs, streamlets and 

 streams are collected, shan to the keeping of trees on the 

 banks of streams, rivers, &c., iu which there are large volu- 

 mes of water. 



" The extreme preservation of the latter, and the small 

 attention commonly given to the former, (to use an emphatic 

 phrase) seems, very much like shutting the stable door after 



* Note ; In fact it is Elready so to some extent. 



