IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. 85 



otherwise it will be impossible to ensure their healthy develop- 

 ment, and the main objects of the avenue, ornament and shelter, 

 will be lost. It is desirable, therefore, that such measures be 

 adopted as will be most likely to secure these objects. Soma 

 progress has indeed been made in this direction ; the planting 

 of certain portions of the public roads having been placed under 

 skilled superintendence. A few of the principal avenues in'" 

 Madras, adjacent to the Horticultural Gardens, are under the 

 care of Mr Brown, and the growth of various trees suitable for 

 avenues will be carefully watched by him. At "Dtakamand, the 

 planting of the highways has had a similar advantageous begin- 

 ning, the road from Utakamand to Wellington being under the 

 immediate superintendence of Mr W. G. M'lvor, while the mar- 

 gin of the lake, and the planting of the former station generally, 

 is under the Local Improvement Committee. 



(C.) Districts. — It is my opinion, after travelling through the 

 greater part of the Presidency, that, as a general rule, the avenues 

 of each district should be placed under the collector. The rea- 

 sons are, that engineers are tempted to lop and otherwise injure 

 the trees when they are engaged on works in the neighbourhood ; 

 and this, in addition to the immediate damage sustained, operates 

 badly upon the natives as an example, and therefore renders con- 

 servancy under such circumstances difficult. Besides, the P. "W. D. 

 complain that their establishment is insufficient for the permanent 

 management of the avenues ; and as it is not desirable to divide 

 responsibility, the plan which most commends itself appears to be 

 the reverting to the former system. The collector also has great 

 influence over the villagers, and has subordinates in every village. 



(D.) Canal Banks. — The Godavery and Kistna channel banks 

 have been carefully planted by the officers in charge, and this 

 should be carried out along all ,the ramifications. The Irriga- 

 tion and Canal Co, are desirous of commencing the same good 

 work, and introducing useful trees at once. The agent of that 

 corporation is now in correspondence with this office, how to 

 conduct the general method of planting, through the medium 

 of the canal officers. The proposal of planting the canal banks 

 is highly to be commended, and the expense will be amply repaid 

 by the increasing value of the timber. 



