68 THIRD REPORT ON FOREST OPERATIONS 



rence Asylum, or any other large buildings on the Nilgiris. Again, 

 as to floating, the seasoning of the logs is indispensable ; two 

 years are required for teak and sal, and three years for blackwood. 



9. Kumari Cultivation. — The Government have issued (23d 

 May 1860, No. 830) definite orders on the future treatment of 

 kumari cultivation in Oanara, which is now prohibited, except in 

 cases where the land has been so cultivated within the last twelve 

 years. It is understood, that under no circumstances are valu- 

 able forests to be so treated. It has been shown that the system 

 is injurious to the welfare of the wandering tribes by whom it is 

 practised ; for although kumari . is itself profitable, the growers 

 are not the gainers, the Soucars on the coast enjoying the larger 

 share of the profits. Moreover, the cultivation is probably pre- 

 judicial in a sanitary point of view, and the ease with which a 

 subsistence is obtained has an effect upon the people by no means 

 conducing to enterprise and healthy development in any form. 

 The benefits, such as they are, following this rude system of cul- 

 ture, are only temporary. The crop of the first year brings good 

 returns, and the clearance may be useful to health ; bat the ground 

 being abandoned after the gathering of the crop, becomes quickly 

 overgrown with dense impenetrable scrub, more injurious to the 

 inhabitants than the forest of lofty trees which had been destroyed. 

 "When kumari does not interfere with the growth of valuable tim- 

 ber as in the taluk of Bekul (where it is exhausted), the Govern- 

 ment has exercised forbearance, and it has been allowed to con- 

 tinue for the present. The operations of the Malaialis on the 

 Shevarai Hills have in like manner been restricted. 



10. Telegraph Department. — The demand for telegraph posts 

 is much less than it was formerly. Instead of using teak for the 

 support of the wires, matti (Pentaptera coriacea) is employed in 

 those central districts where teak is scarce, and sal in the northern 

 division. So long as the timber was sunk in the ground, the 

 posts were constantly damaged by the ravages of white ants ; but 

 now that a metallic socket has been supplied, the wood is safe 

 from their attack. A further precaution is taken to preserve the 

 lower end of the post by running liquid dammer into the metallic 

 sheath, so that the enclosed part of the post is encased with a 

 coating of resin. 



