284 ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY. 



crossed by a foot-path, and in a land where the 

 regular firing of the woods has become the cus- 

 tom of centuries, and where, in addition, intensely 

 hot and dry weather, together with a most luxu- 

 riant growth of giant grasses, render these jungle 

 fires practically unmanageable. In all forests 

 near settlements the forest must be isolated by 

 broad " fire traces " or otherwise. In the jungle 

 forests these traces must be broad ; the grass, 

 often taller than an elephant, must be cut and 

 burned before the grass on either side is dry 

 enough to burn. Similarly, the traces in the long- 

 leaf pine forests must be very wide and first con- 

 verted into grass strips, cut or kept clean by 

 burning. In spite of the unusual difficulties there 

 were, in P898, over 32,000 square miles protected 

 against fire, and on only 8 per cent of this area 

 did the element succeed in doing any damage. 

 In this work, too, great progress has been made 

 during the last twenty years ; the efficiency has 

 steadily increased, and the expense, about ;^io per 

 square mile in 1883, has been reduced to less than 

 half, or 2 per cent, of the gross revenue. 



In the protection against unlawful felling, or 

 timber stealing and grazing, the government of 

 India has shown itself fully equal to the occasion 

 by a liberal policy of supplying villagers in prox- 

 imity to the forests with fuel, etc., at reduced 

 prices or gratis. Over $2,000,000 worth was thus 

 disposed of in 1894- 1895, the incentive to timber 



