184 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



April 



last Jaunsar working" plan divided the 

 forest into three zones, based upon 

 elevation above the sea level : i . Tem- 

 perate Zone, 3,000 to 6,000 feet, with 

 chir pine (Biinis longifolia) and ban 

 oak (Quercus incana), as the chief 

 species (see fig. 1). 2. Subalpine 

 Zone, 6,500 to 9,000, with deodar ( Ce- 



is next in value, and its popularity is 

 upon the increase, while the blue pine, 

 spruce, fir, and oak are practically un- 

 merchantable unless close to where 

 there is a demand for fire wood. Of 

 these latter species the blue pine seems 

 to be the least desirable. In some parts 

 of the mountains it has been girdled 



Fig. 1. General view of mature chir pine forest along tributary ot 

 Tons River. This forest is open to grazing and is burned 

 over annually. 



drus deodar), spruce (Bicea moindd), 

 fir (Abies webiana), and blue pine 

 (Finns excelsis). 3. Alpine Zone, 

 9,000 to 11,125, with rnoru oak (Quer- 

 cus dilatata), spruce, fir and deodar. 

 The demand for insect resisting rail- 

 road ties make the deodar by far the 

 most valuable species. The chir pine 



extensively and arbitrarily to make 

 way for the deodar. In recent years 

 it has begun to be valued as a nurse 

 tree and soil protector. The average 

 exploitable deodar (over 24 inches in 

 diameter breast high) is worth stand- 

 ing perhaps $5 to $25 a tree. The 

 head ranger noted a single tree to cut 



