233] (tocernment Forestry Abroad. 49 



through the forest of a width varying up to four 

 hundred feet, removing all combustible matter from 

 them, except the larger trees, and patroling them 

 through the medium of a regular fire organization. 

 All holders of prescriptive rights are bound to assist 

 in the event of fire. At Dehra Dun, for instance, a 

 force of five hundred men is available, and a fire is 

 never allowed to burn for more than a couple of days. 

 Smoking in the forest is strictly forbidden, and the 

 building of fires by camping parties and others is 

 very severely regulated. 



The results of this thorough and far-sighted for- 

 est policy are conspicuous not only in the great fact 

 that the forests yield, and will permanently yield, 

 the supply of timber and forest produce which the 

 population requires, but also in the beginning which 

 has been made toward regulating the water supply 

 in the mountains, and in the increasing capital value 

 and annual net revenue of the State forests. 



"So far," says Dr. Schlich, 1 "the government has good reason 

 to be satisfied with the financial results of its forest administration. 

 The net revenue, after meeting all expenses of the department, has 

 been as follows since 1864, the year in which the department was 

 first established as a general State department: 



1864 to 1867. Average annual net revenue 106,615 



1867 to 1872. " " .... 133,929 



1872 to 1877. .... 212,919 



1877 to 1882. .... 243,792 



1882 to 1887. " .... 384,752 



. " There is little doubt, if any, that 25 years hence the 

 net surplus will be four times the present amount if the govern- 

 ment of India perseveres in its forest policy as developed in the 

 past. Indeed it would not be going too far to say that the increasing 

 forest revenue bids fair to become a substantial off-set against the 

 expected loss of the opium revenue." 



1 Loc. cit. 



