I 



for the Advancement of Science. 423 



into commerce. There are others, perhaps more numerous, which are 

 known only lo the scieniific observer ; to these, it has been the endeav- 

 erof (he Committee to direct attention. It is no unauthorized infer- 

 ence, that in the depths of those great forest masses there may still be 

 many substances which only await recognition by instructed eves to 

 take their plactis among the valuable agents of manufacturing industry, 

 social comfort, or medical practice. To correct the first, to extend the 

 second, and to discover the third, are the leading points to which the 

 Committee would direct attention; and they have endeavored to fur- 

 tiish to the best of their abihty information calculated to advance each 

 of those interesting ends. The general conclusions which appear lo 

 the Committee lo be warranted by the various statements of fact and 

 opinion, may be summed up as follows: — 1. That over large portions 

 <)f the Indian empire there is at present an almost uncontrolled destruc- 

 tion of the indigenous forests in progress, by the careless habiis of ll>e 

 native population. 2. That in Malabar, Tenasserim and Scinde, where 

 supervision is exercised, considerable improvement has already taken 

 place in ihe forests- 3. That these improvements may be extended by 

 frigid enforcement of the present regulations, and the enactment of 

 additional provisions of the following character, — viz, careful main- 

 tenance of the forests by the plantation of seedlings in ihe place of 

 tnature trees removed, — prohibition of cutting until trees are well 

 grown, with rare arid special exceptions for peculiar purposes, — in ca- 

 ses of trees yielding gums, resins or other valuable products, that great- 

 er care be taken in tapping or notching the trees, most serious damage 

 fit present resulting from neglect in this operation. 4. That special 

 care and attention should be given to the preservation and maintenance 

 of the forests occupying tracts unsuited for culture, whether by reason 

 of altitude or by peculiarities of physical structure. 5. That in a 

 country to which the maintenance of its water supplies is of such ex- 

 treme importance, the indiscriminate clearance of forests around the 

 localities whence the suppl'ies are derived is greatly to be deprecated. 

 €. That, since much local ignorance prevails as to the number and na- 

 ture of valuable forest products, measures should be taken to supply, 

 through the officers in charge, information calculated to diminish such 

 ignorance. 7. That, as much information which may be of practical 

 i^^flity is contained in the manuscript Reports and Proceedings of the 

 late "Plantation Committee,'' it is desirable that the same should, if 

 practicable, be abstracted and given lo the public. 



Capt. Strachey said he could not agree with those who thought that 

 forests had much influence on climate. It was a notion that they en- 

 couraged rain,— but it was more probable that rain was the cause of 

 foresis. He alluded to districts in India in which the forest vegetation 

 ^^sjust in proportion to the fall of rain; being small and diminutive 

 where there was little rain, and abundant and gigantic where there 

 ^vas much rain. In temperate climates forests might produce an effect, 

 hut certainly not in the tropics. With regard to the economical 

 question, there could be no doubt that it was foolish to destroy 

 what was valuable, but we had not the power to arrest the present de- 

 struction of forests in India. Mr, Bunbury enumerated several in- 

 stances where forests did not exist and yel there was much rain, and 



