FIREWOOD OF NILGIRI HILLS. 163 



dents of the hills. He was thoroughly convinced of the urgent 

 necessity of conservancy, on the one hand to preserve the beautiful 

 sholas which now form the ornament of the hill stations, and of 

 Utakamand in particular ; and on the other, to secure Govern- 

 ment property from waste and spoliation, and to perpetuate the 

 supply of firewood. After much discussion, the following mea- 

 sures were agreed to as the best to be adopted in the case of 

 Utakamand — they agree generally with those proposed by Dr 

 Cleghorn : — 



The reserved woods at Utakamand. — 1. The whole of the 

 sholas, or woods, in the neighbourhood of the station to be abso- 

 lutely reserved, not only for their beauty, but also from fear of 

 injuring the water springs ; their limits to be marked ; no private 

 cutters to be allowed inside ; old trees to be felled by servants of 

 the department, and brought outside, and to be sold there by 

 public auction. Trees to be planted where required, in vacant 

 spaces. 



2. Suitable woods, at a distance from the station, to he selected 

 and marked out in lots of moderate size ; and a number of these 

 lots, amply sufficient for a year's supply, to be put up to auction 

 annually. The contractor to be permitted to clear the ground 

 entirely within his lot or lots, with the exception of such trees 

 as may be marked by the Conservancy Department previous to 

 the sale. 



3. The cleared lots to be planted, as required, by the Conser- 

 vancy Department. 



4. No private felling of any kind, or for any person, to be 

 allowed in woods, or on land belonging to Government. 



These measures are now approved by the Governor in 

 Council ; and the conservator will adopt the necessary means to 

 carry them into effect, with no more delay than is necessary to 

 prevent a failure of the supply of fuel during the transition, and 

 to secure existing rights. 



J. D. Bourdillon, 

 Secretary to Cfovemment. 



