TROPICAL FLORAS 77 



and if, on account of the eastern part of the island having 

 much less lowland forest, we take one-fifth as the more prob- 

 able proportion for the whole, then the flora of Java may 

 be estimated at a minimum of 6000 species ; and if the 

 number of the trees is found to be greater, then at a propor- 

 tionately higher number. Hence it is very important that 

 in each local flora the number of its trees, shrubs, and herbs 

 should be separately given. It appears that a forest reserve 

 of 17 square miles has been established on the Bay of 

 Manilla ; but, as it is as yet very imperfectly explored, it 

 would be more useful to thoroughly explore two or three 

 well-chosen areas of one square mile each. 



It is really deplorable that in so many of our tropical 

 dependencies no attempt has been made to preserve for 

 posterity any adequate portions of the native vegetation, 

 especially of the virgin forests. As an example, the island 

 of Singapore was wholly covered with grand virgin forest at 

 the beginning of last century. When I was there in 1854 

 the greater part of it was still forest, but timber-cutting and 

 clearing for gambir and other plantations has gone on with- 

 out restriction till there is now hardly any true virgin forest 

 left ; and quite recently the finest portion left has been 

 allowed to be destroyed by a contractor in order to get 

 granite for harbour works, which might almost as easily have 

 been obtained elsewhere. The grand forest trees were 

 actually burnt to make way for the granite diggers ! 



Surely, before it is too late, our Minister for the Colonies 

 should be urged without delay to give stringent orders that 

 in all the protected Malay States, in British Guiana, Trinidad, 

 Jamaica, Ceylon, Burma, etc., a suitable provision shall be 

 made of forest or mountain " reserves," not for the purpose 

 of forestry and timber-cutting only, but in order to preserve 

 adequate and even abundant examples of those most glorious 

 and entrancing features of our earth, its native forests, woods, 

 mountain slopes, and alpine pastures in every country under 

 our control. It is not only our duty to posterity that such 

 reserves should be made for the purpose of enjoyment and 

 study by future generations, but it is absolutely necessary in 

 order to prevent further deterioration of the climate and 

 destruction of the fertility of the soil, which has already 



