( 80A ) 



It is almost inconceivable that the French Government of 

 about 100 years ago can have hoped to establish valuable coni- 

 ferous forests on those vast stretches of apparently pure silver sand, 

 but the Government did realize that it was possible and necessary 

 to check the encroachment of the sand on to the inland cultiva- 

 tion. Accordingly the French Forest department began to hold up 

 the shifting sand by planting tufts of coarse grass and when these 

 were buried the forest officers planted more. It is easy to imagine 

 the despair of these officers at the apparent hopelessness of their 

 task, but they persevered and in the end their patient efforts over- 

 came the forces of nature. The shifting sand was fixed and they 

 began to sow seed. On what was once a rolling waste of sand now 

 flourish dense pine forests, in which the peasants find ample work 

 for themselves and pasture for their cattle and behind the shelter of 

 which they cultivate their fields in security. 



The work still goes on, more and more sand is reclaimed, and 

 it is noteworthy that here, as in other very different localities, the 

 French Forest department is content to go preparing the ground 

 for future afforestation for 20 or 30 years before sowing or planting 

 any trees. 



12. Similarly I do not think that it is necessary for Govern- 

 ment or for an estate to look too closely into the financial possibili- 

 ties of schemes for the reclamation of ravines in the first instance. 

 Nevertheless figures would seem to show that the scheme for the 

 reclamation of the ravines of the Bhadawar estate is bound to be 

 remunerative. I understand from the Collector of Agra that the 

 estate could probably afford to invest a sum of about Es. 15,000 

 annually in this project. 



I have calculated that with this sum of money it would be 

 possible to reclaim 400 acres per annum. Of the 19 villages of the 

 estate which comprise a total ravine area of 12,000 acres only 10, 

 comprising a ravine tract of 8,000 acres, are the sole property of 

 the estate and it would be better to confine work to these at 

 first. 



It would therefore take 20 years to reclaim this area. Es. 15000 

 at 4 per cent, compound interest amounts to about 4| lakhs after 

 a period of 20 years. 



After 20 years the 400 acres first treated would be ready for 

 exploitation, and thereafter 400 acres would be worked annually. 

 Putting the value of the growing stock after 20 years at only Es. 100 

 per annum, the revenue resulting from fellings alone should be 

 worth Es. 40,000 per annum, which is, I think, a very fur return 

 on the capital expenditure. But this has made no allowance for 

 revenue from grazing, from cut grass or from thinnings, and yet it is 



