Climate and Forest. 383 



ment functions, the provincial governments being to 

 a large degree at least semi-autonomous, like the 

 states in the United States, and considerable varia- 

 tion exists in the conduct of affairs. The difficulties 

 in introducing something like a uniform forest policy 

 were, indeed, not small, and much credit is due to 

 the wisdom and tact of the three German foresters, 

 who in succession filled the difficult position of head 

 of the Imperial Forest Department and organized 

 the service Brandis, Schlich and Ribbentrop. 



1. Forest Conditions. 



In the tropics, rainfall conditions more than any 

 other factor determine forest conditions. The rains 

 of India depend on extraordinary sea winds, or "mon- 

 soons," and their distribution is regulated by the 

 topography of land and relative position of any dis- 

 trict with regard to the mountains and the vapor- 

 laden air currents. Thus excessive rainfall character- 

 izes the coast line along the Arabian Sea to about 

 latitude 20 degrees N., and still more along the coast 

 of Lower Burma, and to a lesser extent also the delta 

 of the Ganges and the southern slopes of the Hima- 

 layas. A moderately humid climate, if gauged by 

 annual rainfall, prevails over the plateau occupying 

 the larger part of the peninsula and the lower Ganges 

 valley, while a rainfall of less than 15 inches occurs 

 over the arid regions of the lower Indue. 



The rainfall, so unevenly distributed territorially, 

 is, moreover, as unevenly distributed through the 

 year. In most districts the principal rains are ex- 

 perienced in summer, the rainy season being followed 



