**SARTAGE IN INDIA.” 87 
‘2. In addition to climatic considerations, the chief 
evils of this rude system of culture are the destruction of 
valuable timber, at present urgently required for ship- 
building and railways, and the rendering of land unfit for 
coffee (see Mr Cannan’s letter, p. 129) cultivation. Where 
trees do not attain a great size, laterite being near the 
surface, or where the timber cannot be removed to a road 
or river from physical obstructions, or where there is 
extensive bamboo jungle, there is not the same objection 
to this cultivation ; the clearing of b: nboos is useful, and 
the Koomaree yields a supply of millet grain to the hill 
tribes. 
‘3. In the course of my tours I have constantly an eye 
‘to the extent of Komaree cultivation, and it is a matter of 
satisfaction to me to find that owing to the practice being 
disallowed, it has ceased in Mysore, has also greatly 
diminished in the Southern Mahratta country, and is 
rapidly decreasing in Canara. The system is objection- 
able for the reasons above given, and I think every effort 
should be made to do away with it as far as possible, 
although motives of policy may perhaps require that this 
consummation be gradually brought about. This I would 
leave in the hands of the collectors, with the proviso that 
no virgin forest or forest of old standing be broken up, 
but that Koomaree be henceforth confined to land which 
has been within twelve years devoted to that purpose. 
‘4, South Canara—Bekal—tIn Bekal téluk there is not 
now any valuable timber. Koomaree cultivation has always 
prevailed there to a great extent; and from its adjoining 
Malabar, where Koomaree is unlimited, it would be difficult 
to restrict it more than is suggested by the collector. The 
prohibition not to cut within nine miles of the coast and 
three of the banks of a river is wise, but there are excep- 
tional tracts; and the granting of these should be left to 
the discretion of the collector. I may observe that it is 
more important to reserve on the banks of a river than on 
the sea shore, where trees do not thrive, and are chiefly 
valuable for firewood, 
