INTRODUCTION. 7 



deals" so largely in details, that the student must 

 needs wade through a great mass of it to arrive 

 at a clear view of the broad general principles on 

 which the forest administration of those countries 

 is based. Moreover, for the great mass of Indian 

 forest officers, it would be impossible, or at least 

 a work of difficulty, to spell through technicali- 

 ties in a foreign language ; and, moved by these 

 considerations, I have been tempted to pen the 

 following pages, in which I have endeavoured to 

 adapt my Indian experiences to the principles 

 taught in Germany, for my general knowledge 

 of which I am mainly indebted to Forest Director 

 Burckhardt, who, to a comprehensive view of forest 

 administration, and an intimate acquaintance with 

 every detail of executive work, adds a singular 

 facility in imparting information, and a genial 

 nature, which rarely fails to affect those who have 

 the good fortune to come into contact with him 

 with his own enthusiastic love for the " forest 

 shades." I have further endeavoured to lay 

 before the reader the general features of such of 

 the German methods of forest management as 

 promise to be of useful application to our Indian 

 forests; but I have treated only of their general 

 features, being impressed with the idea that a 

 clear comprehension of these is of more im- 

 portance in the present state of the science 



