230 PROTECTION OF WOODLANDS. 



113. Misdemeanours through Wilful Damage or Culpable Neglect. 



Damage may arise to woodlands either by reason of imprud- 

 ence and carelessness, or from maliciousness and revenge. 



Injuries to young growth are often caused by the carelessness 

 and imprudence of the woodmen themselves when engaged in the 

 felling and stacking of timber, and in preparing it for sale, 

 especially when they are engaged in clearing away standard trees 

 after the completion of natural reproduction on any tract. And 

 in the same way, when timber is being dragged or carted out of 

 the forest, damage to young growth, as well as to standing timber, 

 is often caused by sheer carelessness. 



Of the injuries caused by maliciousness or feelings of revenge, 

 there are of course endless forms, ranging from damage to the 

 bark or stems of young plants up to incendiarism, resulting 

 sometimes in huge forest fires, often involving the useless 

 destruction of very large quantities of valuable timber. 



In the eye of the law these two classes of injuries naturally 

 assume very different aspects, for in the latter case, though the 

 actual damage inflicted may happen to be slight, the intention 

 to inflict injury is in itself a graver offence than accidental damage 

 caused by a due want of prudence and forethought. 



114. Offences Arising from Other Causes. 



Under this heading may be classed all the other petty offences 

 which are due to non-compliance with legitimate orders given 

 under the forest rules in countries that, like India, have special 

 forest laws. They comprise the removal of timber and other 

 produce from the woods at other times, or by other routes, than 

 those that have been sanctioned in order to secure the possibility 

 of maintaining a proper check over it, the removal of timber or 

 other produce after the prescribed time, any neglect of instructions 

 concerning the kindling or extinction of fires, and the like. 



In most such cases punishments, if awarded at all, ought in 

 general to be so light as not likely to create revengeful feelings. 

 But at the same time, the damage that can take place from fire in 

 many kinds of forests is too great and much too serious in its 

 possible effects for wilful neglect of instructions to be lightly passed 

 over without any notice being taken of it. 



