172 FORESTRY IN BRITISH EAST INDIA. 



directed towards the introduction of improved methods of treat- 

 ment and the construction of roads and other means of transport. 

 As regards the former, the usual selection system should be 

 replaced by more concentrated methods, such as the uniform 

 system of regeneration or one of its modifications. A commence- 

 ment has been made in that direction, and the conversion should 

 now be extended to larger areas. During this process care should 

 be taken to increase the percentage of the more valuable species, 

 though it would be a doubtful proceeding in the case of several 

 species to produce pure woods. Observation in the forest, com- 

 bined with research in the laboratory, will show the best way of 

 achieving the object. The opening out of the country by means 

 of roads and other works is of great importance. As early as 

 1875 a Royal Engineer officer was attached to the Department to 

 assist in the construction of such works, and the plan now is to 

 organise a special Engineering Branch of the Department. By 

 these two measures combined it will be possible to increase, in the 

 course of time, the production of valuable species, and to bring 

 them to the centres of consumption, when, in consequence of the 

 exhaustion of the unreserved and private forests, the demand on 

 the permanent State forests has increased. 



Other important measures are the introduction into commerce 

 of hitherto rejected or unknown species, the extended utilization 

 of produce other than timber, and a vigorous development of 

 forest industries. With this end in view, a number of experts 

 have lately been engaged who are now at work on timber 

 testing, timber seasoning, preparation of paper pulp, wood 

 technology and preservation, tanning materials, &c. 



All these measures and others depend, however, on the employ- 

 ment of a thoroughly competent staff, and it should be the 

 Government's first care to see that the education of the recruits 

 of the Department is of the highest possible standard. It should 

 be on a par with that of the highest branch of the Government 

 service, so that the members of the Forest service may take that 

 place in the State which belongs to them by virtue of their being 

 the guardians of practically one-fourth of the area of the country, 

 containing an asset of enormous potential value, capable of a 

 degree of development far beyond that which it has as yet obtained. 



The Indian State forests are throughout managed on the 



