78 THE WORLD OF LIFE CHAP 



taken place in Ceylon and some parts of India to a most 

 deplorable extent. For this end not only must timber- 

 producing forests of an ample size be secured, but on all 

 mountain slopes continuous belts of at least 400 or 500 

 yards wide should be reserved wherever forests still exist 

 or where they have been already lost be reproduced as soon 

 as possible, so as to form retainers of moisture by the surface 

 vegetation, checks to evaporation by the shade of the trees, 

 guards against torrential rains, mud slides, snow slides where 

 such are prevalent, and protection against winds. On level 

 or nearly level ground, where such varied uses would not be 

 required, similar belts at greater distances apart should be 

 saved for local uses and amelioration of climate, besides 

 " botanical reserves " of adequate extent to give a represen- 

 tation of each type of vegetation in the country. 



I would also strongly urge that, in all countries where 

 there are still vast areas of tropical forests, as in British 

 Guiana, Burma, etc., all future sales or concessions of land 

 for any purpose should be limited to belts of moderate 

 breadth, say half a mile or less, to be followed by a belt of 

 forest of the same width ; and further, that at every mile 

 or half-mile, and especially where streams cross the belts, 

 transverse patches of forest, from one to two furlongs wide, 

 shall be reserved, to remain public property and to be utilised 

 in the public interest. Thus only can the salubrity and 

 general amenity of such countries be handed on to our 

 successors. Of course the general position of these belts 

 and clearings should be determined by local conditions ; 

 but there should be no exception to the rule that all rivers 

 and streams except the very smallest should be reserved as 

 public property and absolutely secured against pollution ; 

 while all natural features of especial interest or beauty 

 should also be maintained for public use and enjoyment 



The great Roraima mountain in British Guiana, for 

 example, with at least half a mile of forest around its base, 

 should, so far as we are possessors of it, be absolutely 

 secured ; and generally, every important mountain summit, 

 with ample means of access, should also be reserved, so that 

 they may not be monopolised or defaced by the greed of 

 speculative purchasers. It should always be kept in mind 



