each of the 82 felling series comprised in the plan, the amount of extra office work entailed 

 both on the divisional and subordinate establishments must be excessive. If only Code 

 forms 2 and 3 are kept up for each series, it will entail tlvj preparation, in duplicate, of 164 

 forms for the 82 series, exclusive of form 33 which will be made out in the Divisional Office 

 only. This amount of work is heavy enough ; but if the additional forms prescribed by 

 Mr. Fernandez in connection with the plans of operations have also to be kept up, it will 

 entail the further preparation of 18 forms, in duplicate, for each of the 82 series. I main- 

 tain that such a large increase of office work will greatly impede the range and sub-range 

 officers in the proper execution of their more important field duties, and when it is consi- 

 dered that the outturn of timber from most of these coupes is of negligible quantity, being 

 under half a cubic foot per acre per annum, I trust you will be inclined to agree with me 

 in thinking that " the game is not worth the candle." 



If, however, it is considered necessary to keep up these forms for the regular felling 

 series, on which the larger portion of the timber demand falls (amounting to i cubic feet 

 per acre) I strongly recommend that, for the remaining 69 nistar series, it shall be deemed 

 sufficient to keep only one set of forms for the aggregate series of this description comprised 

 in each working-circle or range. 



Personally, I should like to see paragraph 107 modified as follows: 



" The prescriptions of the Forest Department Code in 'regard to the maintenance of 

 control forms 2, 3 and 33 should be strictly observed." 



10. Now please read carefully paragraphs 1 08 to 1 10 and consider that all the pre- 

 scriptions contained therein apply to each of the 82 coupes that have to be opened each year 

 in accordance with paragraphs 84 and 85. How is it possible that the large amount of 

 work indicated can be performed, except in a most perfunctory manner, by the small staff 

 at our command, which allows one range officer for every 20 series, and one working-plans 

 inspector for general supervision over the whole 82 series ? I have no hesitation in stating 

 my opinion that, if we attempt to put paragraphs 107 no in practice it will most seriously 

 handicap our field work without greatly increasing our real knowledge of the compartments 

 and their contents information, moreover, which in regard to the nistar areas is not at 

 present of urgent moment. Such a procedure would be justifiable in a valuable teak or 

 sal high timber forest on which the demand is nearly equal to the capability, but cannot, 

 I think, be defended for the poor, open scrub woodlands of the Damoh District I beg 

 therefore to suggest that the procedure in question be restricted to those coupes only 

 which fall within the regular felling series; numbering 13 only, but which contain the pick 

 of the forest on which the greater part of the trade demand is concentrated. The same 

 procedure should, I think, be considered inapplicable and unnecessary for any of the 69 

 groups comprising the nistar series. 



1 1. In conclusion, I must note that the Divisional Forest Officer has furnished me 

 with a statement showing the receipts for the past 10 years, copy of which I attach, and 

 according to which, I think, it must be confessed that the forecast of revenue compiled by 

 Mr. Fernandez in paragraph 1 13 of the plan is of far too sanguine a nature. Even after 

 eliminating the figures for 1894-95 1896-97, when the receipts were abnormal, owing to 

 famine, the average revenue for the other seven years amounts to only Rs. 46,018, the maxi- 

 mum revenue in 1891-92 having amounted to Rs. 59,315, and the revenue for the past year 

 having been only Rs. 32,805. Mr. Fernandez, however, estimates a probable revenue of 

 Rs. 66,200, a sum which may perhaps some day be obtained, but is not likely to be realised 

 for many years. Moreover, 10 years ago, certain items of revenue, under grazing and 

 commutation dues, yielded large sums which it is hopeless to expect will be collected in 

 these days of reduced rates and changed procedure; while the large annual sum of 

 Rs. 15,000, which formerly accrued from the sale of lac leases has decreased to less than 

 Rs. 3,000, because of the almost total destruction of this product throughout the forests 

 of the Division. 



I think the estimate should be lowered to Rs. 46,000 to agree with the average of the 

 past 10 years, after excluding the three abnormally lean years above mentioned. 



The corrections and additions suggested above can, if approved, be made in the plan 

 by printed slips, and would not necessitate the expense of re-printing the plan. 



No. 10967, dated the isth November 1900. 



From ]. B. FULLER, Esq., I. c. s., c. I. E., Commissioner, Jubbulpore Division, 

 To The Conservator of Forests, Northern Circle, Central Provinces. 



I have the honour to forward copy of letter No. 4650, dated the 5th instant, with 

 annexures, from the Deputy Commissioner, Damoh, and to offer the following remarks on 

 the draft working-plan for the forests of this district. 



