INDIA. 



While so neglectful of her forest interests at home, 

 Great Britain has developed in her possessions in the 

 East Indies a far-seeing policy, and, under the lead 

 of German influence, has established there one of the 

 largest, if not most efficient, forest departments in the 

 world. 



Contrary to a frequently expressed idea that the 

 conditions and problems of India are comparable to 

 the conditions and problems of the United States, so 

 that the example of Great Britain in India rather than 

 that of any European country might serve us in the 

 United States, the writer thinks that the very opposite 

 is true. Not only are the natural conditions for the 

 most part different, India being mainly tropical with 

 an entirely different flora and different conditions of 

 growth, but industrial, cultural, social and political 

 conditions are also entirely different; all of which 

 entails difference in methods of procedure. There 

 are, to be sure, a few points of similarity: the large 

 size of country under one government, and that in the 

 hands of an English speaking race; the fact that the 

 fire scourge, as with us, but from different reasons, is 

 still the greatest problem; that there are arid regions 

 and deserts (not over 10 per cent.), and irrigation 

 problems and flood dangers to deal with; and finally 

 the long delay in establishing a definite forest policy. 

 Although this policy was inaugurated over 40 years 

 ago, India has not yet, and will by the nature of things, 

 not soon pass out of the first stage of development' 

 which we may confidently expect to pass through 



