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MINOR FOREST PRODUCE. This is a source of revenue that should not be neglected . 

 In India the sale of barks, gums, resins, &c., and firewood yields an important proportion 

 of the receipts. The results of analyses of Natal barks given in Appendix IV., show that 

 some of our forest species should be valuable for tanning purposes. The barks of other 

 species are reputed by Natives to possess valuable medicinal properties, a few of which 

 are indicated in the List of Natal trees forming Appendix I. Some of our woods, such 

 as Ironwood and Quar, make excellent charcoal, and charcoal burning may become a 

 profitable industry. A small shipment which I had prepared in 1884 was used in the 

 Salt River workshops and declared far superior to the imported article, probably owing 

 to the greater density of the South African woods that may be used for the purpose. 



The cutting of firewood should be limited, if possible, to dry wood not serviceable as 

 timber. Green firewood ought only to be taken when there is not enough dead wood, and 

 the cutting should be limited to species that are not specially reserved by the Forest Law. 

 The present tariff need not be modified ; it stands thus : 



(a) Cutting firewood in Crown Forests per wagon load, sixteen shillings ; per 



cart load, six shillings. 



(6) Collecting dead wood, per wagon load, five shillings ; per cart load, two 

 shillings. 



GRAZING. The extent of Crown land reserved near some of the Natal forests is not 

 sufficient for their working ; which may prove very inconvenient. There is no remedy, 

 but the evil may be palliated to a certain extent by declaring Native reserves and 

 Locations liable to a servitude of grazing, for cattle employed in the working of the Crown 

 or Trust forests, in the same way that they are now liable to the servitude of outspan ' 

 provided that an equitable payment, regulated by tariff, be made to the Natal Native 

 Trust, in return for the privilege. Commonages should also be turned to account in a 

 similar manner. At the Cape, the Forest Act fixes a charge of one penny per day per head 

 of cattle, and a limit of five days, for the depasturing of cattle on any commonage under 

 the control of a Municipality, or Village, or other Board of Management. 



Where ; as in some of the Drakensberg forests, the grazing land included in reserves 

 would exceed the present requirements, the grazing of cattle should be allowed at a certain 

 charge per head, per month ; or, when it is more convenient, the grazing may be let by 

 the area, for periods of one year, as in the present system of Grazing leases. 



ROADS AND TRANSPORT. A good system of forest roads is an important condition 

 of forest management. When constructing new roads in forest districts, the forest 

 requirements should be taken into account. Roads are now required to provide access to 

 the forests between the Umzimkulu and the Gwangwane, and to those near the sources of 

 the Umtamvuna. Forest roads are made narrow, and with heavy gradients (1 in 8 to 1 

 in 10 in difficult places), on the score of economy. 



