CEYLON. 275 



Development of Forest Management. — No efficient plan of forest 

 conservancy has yet been drawn up, but a conference is about to 

 be held for the purpose of attending to the matter. In the 

 meantime some improvement has taken place during the last few 

 years, more particularly in the way of bringing chena cultivation 

 under control, in introducing a more efficient system of fire 

 protection, in assisting natural regeneration to some extent by 

 artificial sowing and planting. 



The Forest Authority. — The chief forest authority is the Con- 

 servator of Forests, who is assisted by 14 Deputy and Assistant 

 Conservators and 3 Extra Assistant Conservators ; there is a 

 subordinate staff of 230 Foresters, Guards, &c. The island is 

 divided into 11 forest Divisions which coincide with the Revenue 

 Administrative Divisions, each in charge of a superior forest 

 officer. 



Education and Research. — There is no forest school in Ceylon. 

 The members of the superior staff are expected to hold the 

 Oxford University Degree or Diploma in Forestry. Candidates 

 for rangerships must have a fair education ; they are taken on 

 probation for s(5me time, and, if satisfactory, sent to the Forest 

 School of Coimbatore in Madras, for technical instruction. Extra 

 Assistant Conservators are usually deserving men from the 

 subordinate staff. 



So far no encouragement has been given to research, but it has 

 been recognised that a research institute is urgently required for 

 botanical, zoological and economic investigations. 



Income and Expenditure. — The averages for the 5 years 1914 — 

 1919 were : — 



£ 

 Revenue .... 91,737 

 Expenditure . . . 35,286 



Surplus . . . £56,451 



7. Forest Activity of Corporations and Private Owners. 



There is practically none. The Temple forests are under chena 



cultivation, and the municipal forests are held as catchment areas 



for the water supply. 



T 2 



