8 



2. I venture to think that the plan is much more elaborate than is justified by the 

 circumstances of the forests or our knowledge of them. The forest growth in Damoh is 

 generally very poor, and indeed the only really good timber I have seen is the teak which 

 grows along the margin of the Bearmi river, all or nearly all of which is private property. 

 There is little or no natural reproduction, nor are we aware of the conditions it requires, 

 though it is not probable that the climate of the district has changed since the existing 

 trees came into being. It is doubtful whether fire-protection in this district conduces 

 to reproduction. It has certainly failed after nearly 30 years' trial in the long-established 

 reserve at Singrampur. Yet it does not seem right to take up the position that we can 

 hardly hope that the forests should renovate themselves, which does not seem an unfair 

 interpretation of the view expressed in paragraph 66. I have from long time past urged 

 the importance of experiments to throw light on the conditions which forest of various 

 classes requires for its renewal by seed and until we know more than we know at present 

 I do not think that we have a basis for rigid rules of forest management. It may be that 

 an occasional fire occurring early in the season while the trees are leafless and before they 

 commence to bud or flower followed by a plentiful seeding, and a good monsoon gives the 

 required start to a crop of seedlings. Seed will not germinate or seedlings flourish in 

 dense grass. 



3. Taking facts as they are at present the value of the Damoh forests is almost wholly 

 their value as grazing grounds. And they play no small a part in affording good pasturage 

 on well-drained soil to thousands of agricultural cattle which come from outside the district 

 as well as from villages within it. So far as a very large area of the forests is concerned, 

 the growth of wood must in any case be so small that it can be disregarded and our atten- 

 tion be concentrated on the growth of grass. Now as I believe that the growth of grass is 

 greatly improved 6y firing, I cannot agree to the proposal that the whole of the nistar 

 series (paragraph 96) should be fire-protected. I think on the contrary that the Department 

 should see that those portions of it which are grazing areas, pure and simple, are periodi- 

 cally burnt, taking care that they are fired at the proper season. 



4. I see moreover that the only fire-protection contemplated for these nistar areas is 

 that compatible with the absence of fire guards and even of fire lines and described as of 

 class C. There are serious objections to this system, which solely relies on the fear the 

 people have of prosecution. Fires are not uncommon in areas of this class, and on their 

 occurrence it is generally an object with the forest staff to implicate somebody, though good 

 evidence is rarely forthcoming. And it must be remembered that fire-protection of this 

 class affects the conduct of the public not only inside the forests but on the private lands 

 which adjoin them. 



5. I do not quite appreciate the reasons for closing part of the nistar areas so as to 

 establish a 5 years' rotation. This seems either to go too far or not far enough, and I should 

 prefer to see these areas left open as at present. It is not so much the restriction of area 

 that I fear as the opportunity which will be afforded for the interference of subordinates. 

 The forest staff is exceedingly small for the area administered, and close supervision will be 

 difficult to secure. 



6. I venture then to urge that in t.he present state of our knowledge we should go no 

 further than to bring under regular working the areas included in the " Regular Felling 

 Series" which cover about a fifth of the total area of the forests. The remaining four-fifths 

 I would leave open to the public as at present, abstaining from a 5 years' rotation (para- 

 graph 72) or from fire-protection till the value of these measures has been established. I 

 would indeed encourage the occasional firing of grazing areas. 



7. > I think that much can be hoped from the project of sylviculture by the agency of 

 forest villages (paragraph 93). 



8. The felling of timber during the rains should not be prohibited unless careful 

 agents prove it to be harmful. In a matter of this sort natives are generally aware of their 

 own interests. 



No. 4650, dated Damoh, the sth November 1900. 

 From W. N. MAW, Esq., I. c. s., Deputy Commissioner, Damoh, 

 To The Commissioner, Jubbulpore Division. 



I have the honour to enclose a copy of letter No. 6815, dated the 3rd September 1900, 

 from the Conservator of Forests, and as requested therein to forward the working-plan 

 which has been drawn up for the forests of the Damoh Division, together with my 

 remarks. 



