where it is less copious, the forests are deciduous ; under a still smaller rainfall 

 they become sparse, and more dry, untill they gradually end in desert. Conse- 

 quently, the evergreen forests are found along the moist west coast of the penin- 

 sula, in the coast districts of Burma, Chittagong, and along the foot and low<-r 

 slopes of the eastern Himalayas. The deciduous forests occupy the greater part 

 of the peninsula and Burma away from the coast. Dry forests are found in 

 Rajputana, and the Punjab, while deserts are the principal feature of Sind.* With 

 rising elevation in the hills, the forests become gradually temperate, and then 

 Alpine, until they disappear altogether on approaching the lower limit of the 

 eternal snow. 



These details on the great variety of climates prevailing in India are given, 

 because some idea on the subject is necessary so as to understand the forest policy, 

 which is indicated in the case of that country. The main issues of that policy 

 depend on the following three points : zuou 



(1) Forests in relation to climate and rainfall. / 



(2) The regulation of moisture, and 



(3) Forest pi^oduce required by the country. 



The south-west monsoon must for ever be the main source of moisture in 

 India, and the climate and rainfall of the Indian plain, and of the peninsula, are 

 generally subject to other influences, in comparison with which the effects of 

 forests must alwajs remain small. On this account then, afforestation cannot be 

 pushed in the case of India. It must, however, be mentioned that the shade and 

 shelter of forests will be most gratefully accepted by man and beast in a hot 

 country like India. 



In a tropical climate like that of India, the evaporation from an area expDSed 

 to the full effects of bhe sun, is probably not less than four times that from an 

 area which is covered by a dense growth of forest vegetation ; hence afforestation 

 is of great importance wherever the rainfall is limited, or unfavorably distributed 

 over the several seasons of the year. 



Then, there is irrigation to be considered, No less than 30,000,000 acres of 

 land are artificially watered in India by means of canals, wells, lakes, and tanks. 

 Only three million acres depend directly on the melted snow of the Himalayas, 

 and it will easily be understood of what importance it is to keep the areas which 

 provide the remainder of the water properly sheltered. The larger the proportion 

 of the catchment areas, whence the irrigation water comes, is shaded by forest 

 vegetation, the more favorable and sustained will be the supply of water. On 

 this account, then, forestry in India has an important mission to fulfil. 



The mechanical action of forests in regulating the flow of water from hill- 

 sides also is not without importance in India, and cases are by no means rare, 

 which show the mischievous effect of reckless deforestation. In this respect, none 

 is more instructive than the case of the hills behind Hushiarpur in the Punjab. 

 These, consisting of a friable rock, were safe until, some forty years ago cattle 

 graziers .settled in them and destroyed the forest and other vegetation. Since 

 then a process of erosion has set it, which is carrying by degrees the hills into the 

 plains, where they appear as huge sand-drifts which have already covered enor- 

 mous areas of fertile cultivated land, and even destroyed part of the town of 

 Hushiarpur. Such an evil can be avoided by preserving the natural vegetation 

 on the land, but, if once started, special measures are required to meet it. In the 



*Sind has some very valuable forests, which are situ i,tu 1 on the binks of ihe Indus on land more or 

 less regularly inundated. 



