84 THIED BEPOET ON FOEEST OPEEATIONS 



Arts, Manufactures, and Mines," and is certainly superior to any- 

 expedient hitherto adopted to get rid of the nuisance in question. 

 Overcrowding. — The error of crowding the trees too closely 

 when planted, and subsequently of neglecting to thin them after 

 they have shot up, cannot be too strongly insisted upon. Plant- 

 ing operations elsewhere have suffered, and in certain instances 

 'have utterly failed, from the neglect of pruning and thinning;* 

 and trees, which otherwise might have developed into first-class 

 timber, have choked each other — the closeness of growth pre- 

 venting a free circulation of air and an adequate supply of nutri- 

 ment to the individual plants. 



28. Distribution of Tree Seeds. — It is a principle acted on in 

 the department, to send seeds to those quarters where their 

 growth is probable, and their possession would be esteemed an 

 acquisition. This principle is specially regarded in those in- 

 stances where we have received consignments from distant 

 quarters. The reciprocity of favours operates beneficially, both 

 in a scientific and economic point of view. While this is the 

 case, individuals who thus transmit seeds should use discretion 

 in selecting such species as are likely to prosper in their new 

 habitats. In the course of the year, seeds have been despatched 

 to Scinde, Hongkong, Melbourne, and Sydney. 



29. Avenues. — (A.) District engineers have generally nurseries for 

 raising shady trees, which have in several places been planted with 

 good effect along the trunk roads. A few weeks ago, the district 

 engineerof Coimbatoresent three selected labourers to be instructed 

 at the Australian plantation, in the planting, pruning, and trim- 

 ming of trees. Bungalow sepoys ought, I think, to be charged with 

 the care and watering of the trees in the compounds of Dak bun- 

 galows, and the same condition might apply to servants in charge 

 of other public buildings, as choultries, soldiers' rest-houses, &c. 



(B.) Madras. — It is admitted to be better to grow trees from 

 seedlings than from branches. The former method is slower, 

 and requires more watching and watering, but the trees last 

 much longer and are more symmetrical. It is of the utmost 

 importance that the trees planted be under careful supervision, 



* See Dr Falconer's Report on " Teak Plantations in Bengal," in Re- 

 cords of Bengal Government. 



