148 FIREWOOD. 



rule*, indigenous trees will answer better than exotics (Utaka< 

 mand is an exception) ; for the native hill trees are much slower 

 in growth than the naturalised Australians. All that is wanted 

 is conservancy, so as to prevent tracts being quite cleared, to 

 hinder persons from injuring the roots, and to arrange for the 

 renewal of trees cut down. One part of this scheme would be to 

 leave a certain number of standard trees per acre, say thirty or 

 forty for shade and for seed, instead of shaving off everything to 

 the root, by which means both the medicinal products as well as 

 the larger fuel will gradually but certainly disappear. If the 

 foregoing suggestions meet with the approval of Government, 

 the measures to be adopted for increasing and extending the 

 growth of tree plantations are next to be considered, and I offer 

 the following remarks upon the subject : — 



1. The superintendents of both the N. and S. Canals, the 

 overseers and employes of the D. >P. W., who have already com- 

 menced planting along the banks of these canals, might set a 

 good example by extending their plantations. The successive 

 rows of trees will be better and better protected, and each 

 stronger than the preceding until they attain the full height. 

 They would, I imagine, be of great value in preserving the bank 

 as well as the water in the canal, whilst the loppings and prun- 

 ings would probably repay the cost of planting. A considerable 

 revenue has been derived from the culture of trees on the banks 

 and cuttings of the great Ganges Canal. (Col. E. Baird Smith's 

 Eeport.) Moreover, the embankments would be rendered beau- 

 tiful and interesting. 



2. The collector might also encourage heads of villages to take 

 an interest in planting topes, by holding out the promise of a 

 reduction of land-rent whenever he is shown so many hundred 

 trees in a flourishing state. The remission should depend solely 

 upon the ryots carefully watering (if necessary) and keeping up 

 their topes or avenues. This course has been adopted in Mysore 

 and in some parts of Bengal with considerable success. 



3. Of course the officials of the D. P. W. could only be ex- 

 pected to plant close to the canal, and the ryots in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of their villages. Many failures in the plants 

 put down must be expected the first year ; but the result, with 



