64 



into the atmosphere, whence plants again mould them 

 into forms of organic life ; and these plants, actually 

 consisting of a past generation of ancestors, form our 

 present food." 



84. I would recommend that the promotion of the 

 trade in the five samples of paper manu- 



ForSt Department! factured and exhibited by me (referred 

 to in Part I.), should be left entirely in the hands of 

 the Forest Department in whose immediate district 

 the fibres from which they were made exist. The 

 mode suggested for introducing other fibres into the 

 market should, however, be observed in this instance, 

 as in all others appertaining to fibres. In this con- 

 nection, I would beg leave to suggest that the de- 

 velopment of this subject might with great advan- 

 tage to the Government be placed in the hands of a 

 small body of men who would take a real interest in 

 the concern. Several such men are to be found in 

 the Forest Department, although it does not of 

 course follow that because a man belongs to that 

 Department he has a taste or aptitude for such work 

 as I have referred to. Indeed, I have myself heard 

 a brother officer, who prided himself on his know- 

 ledge and love of pure forestry, ridicule the idea of 

 being expected to turn his attention to the culture 

 of lac, silk, rheea fibres, and others, which form no 

 part of his legitimate duties ; while others, again, 

 delight in such work, and are only too glad of an 

 opportunity of doing anything to advance such 

 undertakings. These latter are the men whose 

 co-operation Government will probably desire to 



