442 



MANUAL or THE NILAGIRI r)ISTRICT. 



CH. XXVI. 



FoREJTS. 



— present 

 system of 

 fijewood, &c. 



reserved. On this report the Government determined (November 

 1878) that "■ no application for forest or shola land be entertained 

 on the Nilgiris until the whole district has been reported on, 

 and the general question of land reservation, whether forest or 

 grass land, considered, and future policy decided/' 



The woodlands are now worked by the Forest Department on 

 the seigniorage system — Rupees 1-4-0 is charged as seigniorage for 

 a cart-load of 1,000 lb. if cut by the buyer in the shola, 1 anna 

 for a head bundle, and 3 annas for a bullock -load. 



The seigniorage for charcoal ^ burners is 4 annas for a bag, 

 or head-load of 5<) to 70 lb. Firewood is also sold by the 

 department at a depot in Ootacamand at Rupees 2 per cart-load. 

 The hill-tribes are also permitted to remove wood for agricultural 

 implements, for funeral pyi'es, and some other special objects, free, 

 on passes issued by the Forest Officer. 



— early 

 private 

 enterprise. 



— Govern- 

 ment 



plantation at 

 Jackatalla. 



Plantatioxs on Plateau. 



I now proceed to notice the history of the plantations on the 

 plateau. Much had been written on the subject of planting exotic 

 trees on the Nilagiris prior to 1855, officially by Messrs. E. B. 

 Thomas and Mclvor, and Captain Campbell ; otherwise by 

 Mr. J. Sullivan (Agri-Horticultural Society's Proceedit»gs) and 

 Captain Allardyce, Dr. Wight, and Captain Ouchterlony (Madras 

 Journal of Science), and plantations had been formed by private 

 individuals near their houses, plants having been secured mainly 

 from the arboretum in the Government Gardens. 



The construction of the Wellington barracks and the consequent 

 large demand for firewood induced the Government ^ in 1856, 



1 The following extract, from a report of Mr. Gass, details the system of manu- 

 facture : — The process of making charcoal is as follows : A spot, close to a supply 

 of water, is selected and the gromid is slightly hollowed out. In and around this 

 hollow are placed dry branches and on top the wood, cloven into thin strips, is 

 loosely thrown. The branches are set fire to, and, as the wood on top burns away, 

 fresh wood is added from a heap close by. When after four or five hours the 

 fire has burned down, a mixture of ashes, earth, and water is thrown on the red 

 embers to extinguish them thoroughly and the charcoal is finished. 



One man and one woman are generally employed in the manufacture, and the 

 trees chiefly used are Cinnamomam Zeylanicum and Michelia Ntlagirica, the 

 heartwood being best fitted for the purpose. But, with the exception of the 

 Rhododendron, all kinds of timber may be employed. The bark, which is sepa- 

 rated from the wood by the heat, makes the best charcoal, and that of Cinnamomum 

 Zeylanicum is so far superior that the charcoal made from it sells at double price 

 to the dhobies, who fill their hollow smoothing irons with it ; and I was informed 

 the natives, if permitted to strip off the bark without felling the tree, would 

 willingly pay 12 annas seigniorage for a day-pass." 



* Some interesting information on the scheme for plantations will bo found in 

 M. C. Rev., 8th .June 1858 ; also in Clechorn's Forests and Gardens of South India, 

 page 171, et seq. 



