66 ESSAY ON FUEL PLANTATIONS. 



Here is a profit per acre shown of Rs. 7,009, and the returns 

 are rather under-estimated, but it must be borne in mind 

 that these are the returns for a good plantation. The data 

 given above are founded on a practical basis, and no mere 

 theory : the cost of planting, the growth of the trees, and 

 the selling prices realized are all under-estimated, and the 

 prices given can be realised in all large towns. With the 

 exception of fuel plantations on the hills, it is simply waste 

 of time and money to grow any tree but the casuarina for 

 fuel plantations where the suitable sites are available. In 

 forming the fuel plantation, I have omitted the description 

 of the fence. Assuming the site to be sandy, a ditch three 

 feet wide at top and six inches at bottom will be wide 

 enough. The sand taken out should be placed on the inside 

 of the ditch, on the top eighteen inches in width. Aloes, 

 the croton oil plant or prickly euphorbia may be planted on 

 the top. The ditch can be cheaply constructed for about 9 

 pies a running yard three feet deep. Any animal getting 

 in will find a difficulty in getting out, as the shape of the 

 bottom of the ditch will hedge him in. Prickly-pear should 

 never be used, indeed spreading it in any* way should ba 

 made penal, as they have made thistle-growing in Australia. 

 It may be argued that the planting of casuarina is well 

 understood and some other mode of forming fuel plantations 

 should be pointed out. My reply is : The tree grows nearly 

 everywhere and it is the best sort to grow. It is found from 

 Madras on the East Coast to Calicut on the West; in dry 

 plains, like the town of Bowani, and in moist places similar 

 to Manantoddy, 2,500 feet above the sea. There are Euca- 

 lyptus plantations at our hill-stations, and I shall proceed 

 to show how they are raised. The tree has not hitherto 

 been found to grow well below 4,500 feet in any part of 

 Southern India. No doubt there are some species of Euca- 

 lyptus growing in Queensland that might be found to suc- 

 ceed in Mysore and at elevations from 2,500 to 4,500 feet. 

 The various kiuda of Jarrah from West Australia grow 



