104 EAST INDIA. 



rule, used in their place. Altliougli considerable beds of coal 

 exist in the country, they are very inconveniently situated, so 

 that coal is at present used chiefly for industrial purposes ; 

 and certain railway lines even now use wood in the engines 

 owing to the high price of coal in consequence of the long 

 haulage. 



All the teeming millions of India use wood fuel in their 

 domestic firing and, if this is not available, dried cow dung. 

 Their using coal is out of the question for a long period to 

 come even if it were available, because the ordinar}' Indian 

 cultivator has neither the necessary firing arrangements, nor 

 could he aft'oid to i^ay for the coal. 



For domestic firing, India requires to maintain enormous 

 areas under wood which will be almost doubled, if the 

 annual requirements of timber for construction, boat building, 

 tools, agricultural implements, public w^orks, railways, etc., are 

 added. Judging by the standard W'hicli applies to continental 

 countries in Europe it may safely be estimated that India 

 should permanently maintain a forest area at least equal 

 to half an acre per head of population, or, in a round figure, 

 116,000,000 acres in the British provinces, in order to secure 

 a sufficient quantity of timber and firewood. That area would 

 be equivalent to 17 per cent, of the total area of the British 

 provinces. 



Apart from timber and firewood, the Indian forests have to 

 supply a great variety of other, or minor, produce, more 

 particularly grazing and grass. The importance of grass 

 preserves has conspicuously been proved during the famines 

 which occurred during the last fifteen years. In many 

 instances forests must be maintained for their indirect 

 advantages. Considering, further, that the population is 

 increasing, there can be no doubt that not less than 

 25 per cent, of the total area* should remain under forest. 



* Russia has 42 per cent. ; Sweden, 8.") per cent. ; Hungar}', 85 per cent. ; 

 Austria proper, 33 per cent. ; Germany, 2'J per cent ; Norway, 25 per cent. ; 

 Italy, 22 per cent. ; France, 1(3 per cent. Of these, France, Italy and even 

 Germany are importing countries. 



