20 



72. In these moist deciduous forests fires are not frequent except in the 



drier Teak-bearing areas, which form but a small 

 part of the whole. The benefit derived from fire pro- 

 tection in the greater part of the area is somewhat doubtful. The geueral 

 tendency of these forests is to pass gradually from moist deciduous to a state 

 of evergreen forest. The process is without doubt very slow, and, provided the 

 forests are kept fairly open of undergrowth and natural regeneration of Jamba, 

 the more valuable light-demanding species such as Teak, Matti, Kindal, ISana, 

 etc., will continue to form the greater part of the growing stock. The fires 

 that occur in these areas are by no means severe, but are of sufficient intensity 

 to check the heavy growth of weed and, though they no doubt damage seedling 

 growth also, the amount of damage done is probably relatively less than the 

 benefit derived by the checking of the growth of weeds. In support of the 

 above rather unorthodox theory it may be stated that where fires most often 

 occur, namely near cultivation and along road-sides, the regeneration of Teak, 

 Matti and Kindal is very much in evidence. 



73. There are no good grazing grounds in the Working Circle composed 



of Blocks XXIV and XXV. The cattle are poor 

 animals picking up a precarious livelihood on the old 



cultivated fields along the nallas and in areas adjoining cultivation. The 

 number of cattle for which grazing is allowed and the area put aside for their 

 grazing has been fixed by the Forest Settlement Officer. The area allotted to 

 each village has, generally speaking, been fixed at 3 acres for each head of 

 cattle and comprises the waste lands, Betta areas and minor forest, while in 

 the event of the total area of these three classes of land being insufficient a 

 portion of Reserved forest has been allotted. The areas of Reserved forest to 

 be put aside for grazing will have to be given in the neighbourhood of the 

 villages to which the cattle belong. 



A detailed statement showing the name of the village, the number of cattle, 

 the areas available in waste lands, Betta areas, and minor forest and the further 

 area of Reserved forest required for grazing and the locality of such areas is 

 given in Appendix VII. From this statement it will be seen exactly how the 

 requirements of each village have been met, both inside and outside the 

 organized area. The figures are those given by the Forest Settlement Officer and 

 are not the scaled areas obtained by the Working Plan Officer. The number of 

 cattle brought into these forests for grazing from outside is very limited, chiefly 

 owing to the want of grass and the unhealthiness of the climate. If, at any 

 time, attempts were made to bring large herds of cattle into these forests from 

 outside, strong measures to stop them should be taken by the Divisional Forest 

 Officer with the approval of the Collector. 



74. The compartment boundaries which are demarcated by cut lines 



25 feet broad should be kept clear of undergrowth, 



Keeping the compartment while tfa t ral boundaries which have been marked 

 boundaries clear. . . . . . , ,. . ,. 



by blazing the trees oa either side or the line should 



be reblazed at intervals of not less than 8 years. 



75. On the north of the river in Block XXIV, along the Karwar 



Yellapur road, there are rest-houses, and with the 

 exception of two small feeder roads in the Sunksal 



and Marugadda valleys nothing is wanted to facilitate exploitation work and 



inspection. 



South of the river in Block XXV there are no roads, rest-houses or even 

 country tracks except in the extreme west near Hossakumbi, where a good forest 

 road exists running up the Chandgar valley. It will be necessary to open out 

 this area by making a fair-weather road starting from a point a mile up the 

 Ch&ndgar road from Hossakumbi, and running more or less parallel to the rivefr 

 to Dongriand so over the Malgaon saddle to Kankanballi, a distance of about 

 8 miles. Another road will be necessary from Kotha, on the river to Unchalli, 

 running through compartments 45, 47, 48, 49 and 50, so as to tap the Halvalli 

 valley, the distance being some 5 miles. These two roads will meet near 

 Kankanhalli and so join up the South Block vid the Yekeguli and Pattanpar fords 



