164 DTILTZATION OF LEAVES. 



arrested vegetation and the irretrievable loss of all proteid matters 

 and starch, besides whatever other useful combustible constituents 

 dead leaves contain. There is hence no reason -why lopping for rab 

 should not be stopped, even if vigorous rice seedlings cannot be 

 produced without burning leaves on the surface of the beds, for dry- 

 leaves could take the place of the green material. The only excuse 

 for rab thus seems to be that the green leaves, being attached to 

 the branches, are more conveniently collected and carried than 

 dead fallen leaves. 



In the outer Himalayas, loppings of broad-leaved trees are 

 spread over ginger and turmeric fields as a mulching to keep the 

 soil loose and warm. At the same time they enrich the soil by 

 their decomposition. But there is no reason why a mulching of 

 straw would not be as eifective, while the manurial properties of 

 the leaves could be made good by applying an additional quantity 

 of other manures. 



The day must come when, with the march of progress and wealth, 

 this very primitive practice of using the leaves of forest trees for 

 manuring fields will be discontinued, just as the barbarous system 

 of clearing and burning the forest for cultivation has already given 

 place to settled agriculture. Until then, however, we must resign 

 ourselves to arrange for its continuance with the least possible injury 

 to our forests. In the first place, whenever we can do so, we ought 

 to substitute dead fallen leaves for green lopped branches. In the 

 next place, the practice should be rigidly excluded from all areas 

 intended for the production of timber. In fuel forests, the adoption 

 of the coppice system on short rotations should be taken advantage 

 of to furnish a large supply of small branches and leaves at each 

 exploitation ; and to save people from coming long distances, there 

 should be numerous small working-circles. The establishment of 

 such small circles of course means excessively detailed work and 

 a large statf, and therefore heavy expenditure. But Government 

 must be prepared to face these drawbacks, if it rules the continuance 

 of the cause thereof. In mere grazing reserves, the same rule 

 must be adopted as for fodder-lopping, namely, restriction of the 

 lopping to definite species and maintenance of a crown at least 

 5 — 10 feet deep. Where there is a mass of low shrubby vegetation, 

 such vegetation may be cut back once every two or three years, 

 a short rest being given to enable the soil as well as the root-stocks 

 to recover. 



The regulation of the removal of dead fallen leaves and the in- 

 fluence of the practice on the forest are described in the next 

 Section. 



