207 



directed to put down the sandalwood trees in rows, 9 feet 

 apart, and at a distance of 8 feet from plant to plant. 



They may also be allowed, for the first two or three years, 

 to take a crop of maize, or any other kind of crop that would 

 not injure the young trees, off* the land on which the sandal- 

 wood was planted. 



It may be said " the Government have no right to .plant 

 " and grow sandalwood, or any other kind of timber, and sell 

 " it." Such is beside the object, which may be stated broadly 

 as follows : — 



The Government have to plant for climatic purposes, and 

 for the preservation of a constant supply of water in the 

 streams throughout the colony. Expenses must therefore be 

 incurred in planting, and in protecting the trees planted from 

 injury or destruction by any cause whatever, and also in 

 reserving, for the same purposes, tracts of natural forests, and 

 preserving the trees on such such tracts from being destroyed 

 or injured in any way. 



It is evident that if the trees be not felled when they have 

 reached maturity, and the timber utilized, they will rot on 

 the ground and the timber be lost, and the community will 

 thus fail to derive that benefit from the estate which it ought 

 to receive for the money annually expended in planting and 

 protecting trees on it. By utilizing the mature products the 

 estate would be rendered self-supporting. Thus, while serving 

 the other purposes for which it was upheld, the estate would 

 be yielding to the public the fullest benefit which such kind 

 of estate may be expected to give. 

 I have, &c, 



J. HORNE, 

 Director of Gardens and Forests, Mauritius. 



The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, Fiji. 



Sir, Na-tua-tua-coka, 19th July 1878. 



Among other things which his Excellency the Honour- 

 able Sir A. G. Gordon requested me to report upon before I 

 left Fiji was sandalwood. Accordingly, I visited the sandal- 

 wood growing in this district two days ago, and in order that 

 steps may at once be taken for its preservation and extension, 

 I desire that you will bring the matter before His Honour 

 the Acting Governor. Owing to my knowledge of Fijian 

 being limited (and my interpreter and Mr. Langton both un- 



