GOLD COAST REPORT ON FORESTS. 147 



ones that were felled. Such forests should be selected in pre- 

 ference to those of younger age, commonly met with close to the 

 larger native towns and villages. 



Again, forests situated within a reasonable distance of 

 "floating" streams (streams capable of floating out large logs), 

 should be chosen in preference to those at present inaccessible to 

 exploitation, unless, of course, the reservation is made with the 

 object of protective belts of forest, with a view to the latter 

 exercising its functions of preserving or improving the factors 

 of the locality. 



The system of farming in vogue with the natives is such that 

 large tracts of forest-covered land are necessary for the successful 

 carrying out of these operations ; very much more land, in fact, 

 than would be sufficient in the case of permanent cultivation. 

 It is, therefore, necessary that the forest officer should, when 

 submitting proposals for reservation, first ascertain whether 

 sufficient forest, or scrub-covered land will still be available to 

 the natives' for farming purposes after the reservation has taken 

 place. He should make enquiries regarding the size of the 

 native villages and their rate of increase of population; the area 

 required annually by each for farming purposes ; the length of 

 the farming rotation ; the number of crops raised on the newly- 

 cleared farms before they are allowed to lie fallow, and the 

 nature of the crops grown. 



Some of these points, especially the rate of increase of popula- 

 tion, can be adequately dealt with only in the course of a proper 

 anthropological survey; and if any such work is undertaken, it 

 is desirable that the needs of the Forest Department should be 

 kept in view when the scheme for such a survey is prepared. In- 

 formation as to native forest laws and land laws in general should 

 also be collected and put at the disposal of the Forest Department. 



Details of this description should always accompany the 

 reserve proposals. 



All areas that are found sufficiently rich for reservation should 

 be surveyed with the compass and rope, or the plane-table ; more 

 especially the boundaries of the reserves, which should consist, 

 as far as possible, of easily identified features, such as ridges of 

 hills (water-partings), the course of streams, roads, and paths. 

 Whilst these traverses are being made, the ''valuation surveys." 

 referred to under " (C) The Collection of Data for the Preparation 

 of ' Working Plans ' in this chapter, should be carried out in 

 conjunction with them. The valuation surveys will further help 

 to fill in the interior details of the sketch map forwarded with 

 the proposals for reservation. Such maps should have marked 

 on them the positions of all villages that are likely to be directly 

 affected by the reservation of the area concerned. 



Rough surveys made with the aid of the compass and pacing, 

 timing, &c., should also be carried out along forest roads and 

 paths not already shown on the maps of the Colony and Protec- 

 torates. The field sheets of such surveys ought to be forwarded 

 to the Superintendent of Surveys, with a view to their being 

 utilized in the preparation of later editions of the maps. 



12315 K 2 



