Extract from the Proceedings of the Officiating Chief Commissioner, Central 

 Provinces, in the Revenue Department, No. 4641, dated Nagpur, the 

 November 1900, 



READ 



Working-plan Report for the- forests of the Jubbulpore Forest Division. 



READ ALSO 



Letter No. U2-W. P., dated the i5th August 1900, from the Inspector-General of 

 Forests, to the Government of India. 



RESOLUTION. 



This Working-plan deals with all the forests in the Jubbulpore Forest Divi- 

 sion, it having been found necessary to abandon, after a short trial, the usual 

 procedure of one Working-plan for each Range or block of forests. These forests 

 constitute the Murwara, Sihora, Jubbulpore, Bargi and Dhanwahi Ranges, and 

 cover an area of 536 square miles, the general character of which is rugged and 

 hilly, except for a small tract of country to the east of the Mahanadi, which is 

 a more or less level plain. The soil varies in character from a loose sand to a 

 stiff black soil, but with a fairly fertile sandy loam predominating in the low-lying 

 localities. The climate is on the whole favourable to forest growth, though in the 

 cold weather night frosts occasionally do considerable damage to young trees in 

 low-lying localities. 



2. The forests may be classed under four main types consisting chiefly of 

 (i) Sal (Sheora robusta], (2) Teak (Tectona grandis), (3) Mixed forests, and (4) 

 Bamboo (Dandrocalamus strictus). The sal is here at its western limit and is 

 confined to the Gondwana sandstone area ; it seldom exceeds 5 feet in girth 

 and generally begins to decay after reaching a girth of 4 feet; its reproduc- 

 tion is very poor, due to the fact that but few seedlings survive the cold weather 

 frosts. The teak is here at its northern limit and is confined to a few scattered 

 localities where the soil and climate is favourable to its growth. It usually 

 attains to a girth of about 3^ feet, after which it dies off rapidly. Reproduction 

 is extremely backward. The mixed forests are by far the most widely distri- 

 buted, and the reproduction is abundant wherever a sufficient depth of soil is 

 met with. The bamboo, though classed separately, actually occurs intermixed 

 in the teak and mixed forests, but in well defined lines. Its reproduction is all 

 that could be desired. 



3. In addition to the Great Indian Peninsula, East Indian, Indian Midland 

 and Bengal-Nagpur Railways and the metalled roads radiating from Jubbulpore to 

 Mirzapur, Damoh, Seoni, Mandla and Kundam, the district is served by several 

 other metalled and fair-weather roads, which afford ample facilities for the trans- 

 port of forest produce. The existence of the Public Works Department Toll- 

 station on the ferry and fair-weather bridge at Gwarighat, no doubt adds to the 

 cost of moving forest produce to Jubbulpore along the road from Seoni, but no 

 general exemption from tolls can be made in favour of forest produce and the 

 whole question of the revision of rates will be considered separately. Other lines 

 of transport are the Mahanadi, Nerbudda and Gaur Rivers; but so far the 

 Nerbudda is the only one down which timber, &c., is rafted. Every effort will 

 be made fully to develop the facilities for transport afforded by these waterways, 

 and launching and catching stations will be established at convenient centres. 

 Something in the way of removing obstructions will also be attempted ; but 

 no very costly operations are to be undertaken. For the removal of forest produce 

 temporary fair-weather roads connecting the interior of the forests with one or 

 other of the main lines of transport, will also be constructed as required. 



