TROPICAL FLORAS 77 



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

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

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

 )e estimated at a minimum of 6000 species ; and if the 

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

 ionately higher number. Hence it is very important that 

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

 hould be separately given. It appears that a forest reserve 

 if 17 square miles has been established on the Bay of 

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

 irould be more useful to thoroughly explore two or three 

 /ell-chosen areas of one square mile each. 



It is really deplorable that in so many of our tropical 

 lependencies no attempt has been made to preserve for 

 losterity any adequate portions of the native vegetation, 

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

 /{ Singapore was wholly covered with grand virgin forest at 

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

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

 learing for gambir and other plantations has gone on with- 

 ut restriction till there is now hardly any true virgin forest 

 ift ; and quite recently the finest portion left has been 

 llowed to be destroyed by a contractor in order to get 

 ranite for harbour works, which might almost as easily have 

 een obtained elsewhere. The grand forest trees were 

 ctually burnt to make way for the granite diggers ! 



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



hould be urged without delay to give stringent orders that 



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



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



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



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



dequate and even abundant examples of those most glorious 



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



lountain slopes, and alpine pastures in every country under 



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



sserves should be made for the purpose of enjoyment and 



tudy by future generations, but it is absolutely necessary in 



rder to prevent further deterioration of the climate and 



estruction of the fertility of the soil, which has already 



