AKEA AND OWNERSHIP OF THE FORESTS. 131 



The figures for Corporate and Private forests are estimates. 

 The above data show that the forest area is equal to 30-9 per cent, 

 of the total land area, which is about the same as the correspond- 

 ing figure for the Forests of Europe. On the other hand, the forest 

 area per head of population in India is -9 of an acre, which is about 

 one-half of what it is in Europe. 



3. The Important Products of the Forests. 



Owing to the great number of types of Indian forests, coupled 

 with the diversity of climate, the number of species of timber 

 trees is very large, and they are very unevenly distributed. While 

 Sind has only 10 species of timber trees, Burma has about 2,500 

 with a similar number of other woody species. 



Teak {Tectona grandis) takes first place, being the most impor- 

 tant timber of India, if not of the whole earth. It yields the best 

 timber for shipbuilding and is used for numerous other purposes. 

 The tree reaches its highest perfection in Burma ; good teak is 

 also produced in western and southern India. There is always 

 a strong demand for teak even of small dimensions, such as is 

 produced at its northern Hmit of distribution. The present 

 annual output is approximately 260,000 tons, of which 225,000 

 tons are produced in Burma. 



Sal (Shorea rohusla) takes second place. It is a large gregarious 

 tree, yielding a hard and very durable wood, which is used for 

 building, bridge construction, piles, railway sleepers, and many 

 other purposes. The total area of the State sal forests comprises 

 approximately 6,700 square miles, and besides there are extensive 

 sal forests in Nepal, estimated at 3,000 square miles. The 

 annual output from the State forests is about 128,000 tons. 



Deodar, also called " Himalayan cedar " {Cedrus Deodara), with 

 blue pine {Pinus excelsa), chir pine {Pinus longifolia), silver fir 

 (Abies Webbiana) and spruce (Picea Morinda), are the most 

 important trees in the part of the Himalayas which is situated 

 between the watershed of the Indus on the west, and the water- 

 shed of the Ganges on the east, comprising an area of 9,000 square 

 miles of these forests. This tract yields some 280,000 tons of 

 coniferous timber annually and is capable of yielding at least 

 three times that quantity under systematic management working 

 for a sustained yield. At present one-third of the area is under 



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