Forest Conditions. 385 



mainly in the interior of Central India, with Sal, Teak 

 and Iron wood as characteristic trees; the arid region 

 forest, found in the Punjab, in Raiputana, and in 

 Sindh, of varying composition, from the open shrub 

 forests of the latter province, composed of acacias, 

 tamarisk and mesquite, to the denser, more diversified, 

 dry, low tree forest of the former; the alpine coniferous 

 forest of the Himalayas and of the mountains of 

 Afghanistan, Belutchistan, and Burma, composed of 

 pine, deodar, juniper, with oak, walnut, boxwood, 

 approaching our own forest types. In addition, there 

 may be segregated the coast forest, of small extent, 

 composed of trees which, like the mangrove, will 

 bear salt water; the overflow forest along rivers; and 

 river forests in the desert regions, of which latter 

 large areas exist. 



The natural differences in the forest cover are em- 

 phasized by the action of man, who for many centuries 

 has waged war against the forest, clearing it perma- 

 nently or temporarily for agricultural purposes, or else 

 merely burning it over to improve grazing facilities, 

 or for purposes of the chase. 



Statistics, except of government properties, are 

 somewhat doubtful. Apparently, the forested area 

 of the whole of India comprises somewhat over 40 

 per cent, of the land area. The government forests, 

 settled and unsettled, represent at present about 24 

 per cent, of the area under British rule (149 million 

 acres), not over 20 per cent, being under cultivation, 

 leaving about 56 per cent, either natural desert, waste, 

 or grazing lands. 



The great forests of India are in Burma; extensive 



