Forest Conditions. 323 



miles, of which 25 percent (280,000 square miles) is 

 probably forested and waste, some 232,000 square 

 miles or nearly 150 million acres of which are so far 

 declared government property. 



The British territory is di\dded into three presidencies 

 (Madras, Bombay and Bengal) and nine provinces, 

 each with a separate government under a governor, or 

 commissioner, with a council, and all subject to control 

 by the resident governor-general or viceroy and his 

 council, and he in turn is responsible to the Secretary 

 of State at home. 



There is, however, little centralization of govern- 

 ment functions, the provincial governments being to 

 a large degree at least semi-autonomous, Uke the states 

 in the United States, and considerable variation exists 

 in the conduct of affairs. The diflBculties in intro- 

 ducing 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 suc- 

 cession filled the difficult position of head of the Im- 

 perial 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 char- 

 acterizes the coast hne along the Arabian Sea to about 



