Chap. XXII. FOREST CONSERVANCY. 377 



not so good as that grown in drier situations, such as the 

 Neilgherries near Coonoor, though the yield is greater. 

 Most of the available land is already taken up. The labour 

 is derived from Mysore, whence the coolies come, often from 

 distances of sixty or seventy miles, returning to their families 

 when their wages are paid. In 1860 the tax on coffee-estates 

 in Wynaad was fixed at 2 Es. an acre on land actually 

 planted, to be imposed in the tlm-d year, at which time the 

 trees are in bearing.'^ 



The export trade in coffee, from all the hill-districts of 

 Southern India, was, in 1859-60, as follows : — 



Quantity. Value. 



From the ports of Malabar .. .. 7,35,19,261bs. 7,35,177 R* 



„ „ Cauara .. .. 5,13,36,35 8,66,644 



Tinnevelly.. .. 23,36,93 23,387 



„ port of Madras .. .. 8,15,89,74 2,49,846 



20,87,82,28 18,75,054 



In connexion with the clearing of forests for coffee-cultiva- 

 tion, it is imperative that due attention should be paid to the 

 preservation of valuable timber, and the conservancy of the 

 belts of wood near the sources and along the upper courses of 

 streams, so as to ensm-e the usual supplies of water, and to 

 retain a due amount of moisture in the atmosphere. For the 

 superintendence of these important measures, together with 

 other duties. Dr. Cleghorn has been placed at the head of a 

 Forest Conservancy Department in the Madras Presidency. 

 He strongly urges that the high wooded mountain-tops over- 

 hanging the low country should not be allowed to be cleared 

 for coffee-cultivation, lest the supplies of water should be 

 injured.^ " The courses of rivulets," he says, " should be 

 overshadowed with trees, and the hills should therefore 



' Besides a jemmi fee on Govern- I ^ Cleghorn's Forests and Gardens of 

 mcnt land, of ciglit annas an acre. | Southern India, p. 16. 



