488 MANUAL OF THE KILAGIRI DISTRICT, 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



FORESTS. 



Forests. 



WcoDS OS THE Plateau — early efforts to preserve shdlas— first conservancy 

 establishment — Dr. Cleghorn's suggestions — Conservancy Rules sanctioned in 

 1860 — additional establishment — transfer of forests and plantations to the 

 Commissioner under Jungle Conservancy — Special Forest Officer — retransfer to 

 Forest Department— operations under Jungle Conservancy— Forest Commission 

 — present system of firewood sales, &c. Plantations on Plateau — early private 

 enterprise — Government plantation at Jackatalla — planting at Ootacamand — 

 other plantations— particulars — Ootacamand plantations — Wellington planta- 

 tions — Conservator's remarks — yield of ev.calyptus—&na.ncia,l statement — 

 system of working. Forests and Plantations below the Ghats — Miidumale 

 forest— plantations — receipts and expenditure— Benne forest — plantation — 

 Segdr — forest — sandalwood plantation — receipts and expenditure — management 

 — finances of the range — minor products — timber trees. 



Woods on the Plateau. 



CH. XXVI. Within a few years of the establishment of Ootacamand the 

 tendency to destroy ruthlessly the woodlands of the settlement 

 attracted attention^ and efforts were made to check the mischief. 

 Early efforts ^he most important of these was the insertion in the title-deeds 

 shdlas. of lands granted by Government of a clause compelling the 



grantees to make good by planting saplings all vacancies caused by 

 the felling of trees. Efforts were also made to prevent, as far as 

 possible, the felling of trees held to be valuable timber. Few, if 

 any, of the trees of the sholas of the plateau being of much value 

 as timber, such restrictions were practically inoperative. More- 

 over, many of the sholas of the settlement were still unalienated. 

 In the year 1837 the Government interfered directly to check the 

 destruction of woodlands for private use, which, independently 

 of their beauty, they regarded as highly useful in preserving by 

 the shade they afford the springs from drying up. Accordingly 

 orders were issued interdicting the practice of indiscriminately 

 felling timber and forest trees within the military limits of 

 Ootacamand, and directing that no trees in future should be cut 

 down except by special sanction, which was never to be granted 

 unless the trees selected were in situations in which they were 

 not ornamental or of use in shading springs of water from the 

 influence of the sun in the dry season. 



