284 ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY 



crossed by a foot-path, and in a land where the 

 regular firing of the woods has become the cus- 

 tom of centuries, and where, in addition, intensely 

 hot and dry weather, together with a most luxu- 

 riant growth of giant grasses, render these jungle 

 fires practically unmanageable. In all forests 

 near settlements the forest must be isolated by 

 broad "fire traces" or otherwise. In the jungle 

 forests these traces must be broad ; the grass, 

 often taller than an elephant, must be cut and 

 burned before the grass on either side is dry 

 enough to burn. Similarly, the traces in the long- 

 leaf pine forests must be very wide and first con- 

 verted into grass strips, cut or kept clean by 

 burning. In spite of the unusual difficulties there 

 were, in 1898, over 32,000 square miles protected 

 against fire, and on only 8 per cent of this area 

 did the element succeed in doing any damage. 

 In this work, too, great progress has been made 

 during the last twenty years ; the efficiency has 

 steadily increased, and the expense, about $10 per 

 square mile in 1883, has been reduced to less than 

 half, or 2 per cent, of the gross revenue. 



In the protection against unlawful felling, or 

 timber stealing and grazing, the government of 

 India has shown itself fully equal to the occasion 

 by a liberal policy of supplying villagers in prox- 

 imity to the forests with fuel, etc., at reduced 

 prices or gratis. Over $2,000,000 worth was thus 

 disposed of in 1894-1895, the incentive to timber 



