FIREWOOD. 151 



have done wisely in abolishing the variety of small taxes usually 

 levied by native proprietors on jungle products ; planks, plough- 

 shares, fuel, oil-grasses, gums, honey, resin, arrowroot, having all 

 different imposts levied upon them, giving opportunities for ex- 

 tortion and obstruction of trade. 



7. It must however be observed, that the abolition o'f these 

 jungle rents and petty imposts tends to the extirpation of many 

 drugs and dyes, and to the diminished supply of fuel, which is 

 maintained by the levy of a small seignorage. 



8. The products* which require the destruction of the tree 

 should be reserved in any agreements made with contractors to 

 prevent extermination. Those which yield articles of produce f 

 taken without injury to the tree, as tamarind pods, soapnuts, 

 guavas, custard apples, &c. &c, may be rented separately, and 

 with less fear of exhaustion. 



9. The subject of firewood is surrounded with many difficul- 

 ties ; the European merchant, the cultivator of the soil, and the 

 sepoy, are all deeply interested in a cheap supply of this neces- 

 sary of life, essential to the poorer classes ; and the considera- 

 tion of the question requires much attention, and very careful 

 proceedings. 



10. The circumstances of particular districts vary so much in 

 regard to indigenous supply and local demand, that it appears 

 to me impossible to lay down rules which admit of general ap- 

 plication. 



11. The forests of Malabar and Canara still abound in fuel, 

 whilst the jungles of.the E. Coast are generally small and stunted, 

 except the mangrove belts of the Godavari and Kistna deltas, 

 and the woods of the moist climate of Orissa, where there is a 

 more rapid growth of luxuriant vegetation. Here clearing is ad- 

 vantageous to the increase of cultivation and the easy access of 

 troops. In other parts of the Presidency there are vast tracts of 

 scrubby jungle in excess of local demands, but these are generally 

 at a distance from roads. 



* Satin-wood, Sandal-wood, Eed-wood, bark of Acacia leucophlea (used 

 in distilleries), Catechu. 



f Gums and gum-resins, as kino, gamboge, dammer, &o. ; also alliaku 

 leaves {Memecyhn tinctorium), kapila-rang, aika-kai {Acacia concinna), &c. 



