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Information to be collected — The area to be dealt with 

 having been decided upon, the next step in the preparation 

 of the plan is to explore the locality so as to gain a general 

 knowledge of the configuration of the country, the distribu- 

 tion and composition of the forests, the marketable products 

 they contain, the best mode of disposing of those products ; 

 as well as of all other facts likely to be useful in determining 

 the future plan of management. The heads of examination 

 and enquiry may be summarised as follows : — 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF TRACT. 



Name and situation of the area dealt with.— Civil District, 

 Porest Division, etc. 



Configuration of the country.— Flat, hilly or plateau ; alti- 

 tude ; prevailing aspects, etc. 



Rock and soil. — Geological formation ; underlying rock ; 

 general characters of the soil and their effect on forest 

 growth. 



Climate. — Temperature, mean and extreme, with its ePfect 

 on the forest growth; rainfall, periods of drought, and rain ; 

 prevailing winds, storms; other climatic influences on forest 

 treatment. 



Population. — Numbers and condition ; agricultural cus- 

 toms or requirements which infl.uence the system of forest 

 management. 



THE COMPOSITION AND CONDITION OF THE FORESTS. 



Distribution and area.— The distribution of the forest; total 

 area and areas under tree-growth, grass, streams, etc., in each 

 class of forest ; enclosures within the boundaries ; maps avaiU 

 able, their degree of accuracy, etc. 



Boundaries and boundary marks.— Nature and state of re- 

 pair of the marks used ; enclosures and their boundaries; 

 whether a revision of the boundaries is required or not. 



Legal position of the forests— Brief history of the acquisi- 

 tion by Government and settlement (where there has been 

 one) of the forest ; Act and section of the Act under which 

 gazetted, etc. 



Rights.— Their origin and general character ; statement 

 of the areas burdened with rights and free from them; 



