( 19 ) 

 Chapter IV. 



THE METHOD OF AFFORESTATION. 



The soil of the ravine areas may be classed as a sunbaked loam, Soil 

 usually sandy, but differing in consistency from place to place. tion - 

 There is usually a thin upper layer of Jcankar, in nodular form, left 

 behind by the mechanical action of water and, owing to the con- 

 tinuous tread of cattle and the baking of the sun, the top few feet 

 are excedingly hard and impervious to water which runs off readily 

 to the main rivers. The areas are almost treeless ; the following 

 species are found in scrubby form, and there is a notable absence 

 of regeneration except by coppice snoots : 



(1) Gapparis aphylla, (2) Carissa Carandas, (3) Carissa 

 spinarum, (4) Adhatoda Vasica, (5) Balanites Roxbar- 

 ghii, (6) Zizyphns jujuba, (7) Prosophis spicigera, (8) 

 Acacia, leucophloea, (9) Acasia arabica. 



The grass crop consists almost entirely of the worthless species, 

 Aristida adscensionis. The first object of management in a work of 

 this description is the re-establishment of conditions sufficiently 

 favourable for vdgetafcion. The ordinary system of planting in 

 pits and sowing in hoed-lines, although eminently suitable in 

 other places, is bound to fail in the ravines. It is necessary to 

 repair the damage of centuries by the efficient working of the 

 soil and the conservation of the maximum amount of moisture. 

 The actual soil is, it is believed, fertile enough for most trees 

 found in. similar latitudes after the requirements of moisture 

 and aeration have been satisfied. The most satisfactory means so 

 far discovered of effecting this improvement is the breaking-up of 

 the compact surface soil, either by deep ploughing or hand digging, 

 thus aiding .the gaseous exchange between soil and air and allowing 

 the penetration of moisture into the subsoil. It is also necessary 

 to preserve the continuous gaseous interchange and to prevent fur- 

 ther consolidation. Soil-cultivation extended over several years 

 is impracticable in a forest estate owing to the low final returns 

 and could only be carried on for two years at the most even if only 

 valuable species were raised. It is however known that if once 

 a forest plantation can be established, the actual trees themselves 

 by means of their roots, litter and shade will keep the soil in 

 condition. It is found that Kansome's S. B. plough, obtainable 

 from Messrs. Octavious Steel & Co-, Calcutta, is about the 

 most effective instrument for this work, it is strong, light, and 

 works the soil to a depth of eight inches ; other ploughs, although 

 useful for certain work, are not suitable for the rough initial work 

 of breaking-up the top soil. In many portions of the ravines the 



