THE FORESTER. 



October, 



The Oaks are found at almost all alti- 

 tudes, running up to nine thousand feet, 

 and they can be naturally regenerated if 

 the ground is not covered with a pestif- 

 erous little plant called " Strobolanches," 

 which with its very dense and compact 

 root system entirely prevents the acorns 

 from reaching the mineral soil. No oak 

 is cut for timber, but the whole supply is 

 used as firewood by the neighboring gar- 

 risons ; this is carried down the mountain 

 trail on little hill ponies, each one of which 

 is so loaded down that you see nothing but 

 a pile of wood moving through the forest. 



In all localities where grazing rights 

 prevail the forester is of course somewhat 

 handicapped; this is especially true in 

 forests kept simply for " protection," such 

 as those on steep slopes, which are pi - e- 

 served to prevent the debris of the hillside 

 from being washed down on the fields of 

 the valleys. Of course if the seedlings 

 are constantly destroyed by the cattle, the 

 forest gradually thins out, and the rains 

 rush down unimpeded over the hard 

 trampled ground. In many places a very 

 good system prevails of closing a certain 

 area to grazing whenever regeneration is 

 attempted ; and as the natives are careful 

 to obey the rules, the result is successful. 



All along the foot of the hills one sees a 

 vast amount of territory covered by so- 

 called " raws," which are broad and" very 

 rocky stream beds, filled with water dur- 

 ing the monsoons only; these eat their 

 way, little by little each year, into the 

 surrounding fields, and are gradually 

 stealing away the farms. 



In such an article as this, the subject of 

 working plans is somewhat too deep to 

 touch upon, and it will be enough to say 

 that the forests are managed on the selec- 

 tion system, only the annual growth being 

 cut each year. This is arranged accord- 

 in- to diameter classes and areas, all trees 

 < low n to a fixed diameter standing on a 

 certain number of acres being felled 

 annually. Consideration is always given 

 to the sylvicultural demands, however, 

 and where these clash with question of 

 present financial returns, preference is 

 given to the former. 



Working plans are sanctioned for a 



period of twenty years, and new ones are 

 constantly being made. In this particular 

 part of the Himalayas, extensive blocks, 

 sometimes covering a whole slope, are 

 taken in hand and every marketable tree 

 down to a certain diameter is calipered ; 

 the area is determined from the excellent 

 maps available and the necessary calcula- 

 tions follow. A splendid system of well- 

 made trails covers the mountains, and 

 wood is also taken out very economically 

 and in great quantities by log railways, 

 steep cables, dry shoots, and flumes. 



As in every other part of the world the 

 great danger here to the forest crop is that 

 of fire. Although the country is an ex- 

 ceedingly difficult one to handle, owing 

 both to its configuration and the character 

 and religious scruples of its inhabitants, 

 such a system of fire protection has been 

 gradually built up that losses have been 

 greatly reduced in late years. An officer 

 in charge of a range looks upon it as a 

 disgrace to himself if fire gets the best of 

 him, and the forest is splendidly provided 

 with a network of fire lines. These are 

 cleared and burned over each year (some- 

 times two or three times a year) and dur- 

 ing the dangerous season, from February 

 to May, additional men are put to work in 

 the woods in order to be on hand in case 

 of emergencies. Villagers can be sum- 

 moned at any time by the forest officer in 

 charge. A most valuable thing in case of 

 an extensive fire is a sketch map, showing 

 simply the formation of the country, giv- 

 ing all streams, ridges, fire lines, roads, 

 trails, clearings, houses and in fact show- 

 ing accurately all points of vantage from 

 which a fire can be fought. 



A forest officer's life in the Himalayas 

 is certainly a most interesting one, and 

 provided he is a hunter or botanist, a most 

 enjoyable one. In this corner of the world 

 he must be content to live a life of solitude, 

 as he is often off for many weeks together 

 and sees no single white face. But this 

 does not infer that he is uncomfortable, 

 for an army of servants is always by him, 

 and he lives in comparative luxury the 

 year through. Besides, the hills, the 

 trees, the tigers and deer are veiy good 

 companions, after all. 



