FOREST POLICIES OF FOREIGN NATIONS. 28 1 



mountains and the vapor-laden air currents. Thus 

 excessive rainfall characterizes the coast-line along 

 the Arabian Sea to about latitude 20" N., and still 

 more the coast of Lower Burma, and to a lesser 

 extent also the delta of the Ganges and the south- 

 ern slope of the Himalayas. A moderately humid 

 climate, if gauged by annual rainfall, prevails over 

 the plateau occupying the large peninsula and the 

 Lower Ganges Valley, while a rainfall of less than 

 fifteen inches occurs over the arid regions of the 

 Lower Indus. In keeping with this great diver- 

 sity of climate, both as to temperature and humid- 

 ity, there is great variation in the character and 

 development of the forest cover. The natural dif- 

 ferences in this forest cover are emphasized by the 

 action of man, who for many centuries has waged 

 war against the forest, clearing it permanently or 

 temporarily for agricultural purposes or else merely 

 burning it over to improve grazing facilities or for 

 purposes of the chase. Thus only about 20 per 

 cent of the entire area of India is covered by 

 woods, not over 30 per cent being under cultiva- 

 tion, leaving about 50 per cent either natural 

 desert, waste, or grazing lands. The great for- 

 ests of India are in Burma; extensive woods 

 clothe the foot-hills of the Himalayas and are scat- 

 tered in smaller bodies throughout the more humid 

 portions of the country, while the dry northwest- 

 ern territories are practically treeless wastes. In 

 this way large areas of densely settled districts are 



