FIREWOOD. 



149 



perseverance, would be a large supply of wood near Madras, with 

 water carriage to bring it to market. 



4. At the close of the present lease it will be well to consider 

 whether it be advisable to continue the system of renting out an 

 eighth portion of the forest to be cut down to the ground. If the 

 trees were headed down to 6 or 8 feet, and allowed to pro- 

 duce lateral shoots, these would become very numerous and 

 produce a greater supply of branches to be sold in bundles for 

 firewood. 



5. I do not think it would be profitable to plant these lands 

 (as a Government scheme with a fixed establishment) for the 

 exclusive purpose of raising firewood ; but a resident cultivator 

 holding a lease of these waste lands rent free for a certain num- 

 ber of years, and planting Palmyra palms for shelter close to- 

 gether, so as to encourage the growth of coppice within, would 

 receive a fair return for his labour, and little or no professional 

 skill would be required. 



H. Cle8hqrn, 



Conservator of Forests. 



MEMOEANDUM. 



FUEL AND FIREWOOD JUNGLES. 



1. The supervision of the minor jungles was not contemplated 

 three years ago in the original scheme of the department ; nor, 

 so far as I am aware, have they been taken into systematic con- 

 sideration in Bombay or Pegu. These jungles hitherto have been 

 either unprotected by any rules whatever, or left to the manage- 

 ment of the local authorities. 



2. Eegulations exist for the management of the Sind preserves, 

 which supply fuel to the Indus Flotilla ; and I understand that 

 the civil authorities at Simla have been obliged to enact strin- 

 gent regulations for the regular and economical supply of that 

 station. 



3. In almost every district of this presidency there have been 

 references in regard to firewood and bamboos, which are subject 



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