NILGIRI HILLS. 177 



addition, and Mr M'lvor considers that wire-fencing* is absolutely 

 required. Mr Thomas's labours have not been confined to a single 

 locality ; but, though apparently desultory in character, when com- 

 pared with Capt. Campbell's system of planting, they have been in 

 their way highly useful. He has earnestly and unceasingly 

 exercised a personal supervision of the woods round Utakamand 

 when he visited the Nilgiris, and has manifested a warm interest 

 in the progress of this department, as evinced by the establish- 

 ment of his private garden at Barliar, which has been productive 

 of much good in disseminating fruit and other trees. I do not 

 hesitate to affirm that, but for his continual exertions, the neigh- 

 bourhood of Utakamand would have been denuded of its remain- 

 ing beautiful sholas long since . 



3. Preservation of the Nilgiri Forests. — For the maintenance 

 of the Nilgiri Sholas (glades), it is hopeless to expect conservancy 

 by rules altogether prohibitory. Much timber runs to waste, and 

 this, when decayed and fallen, is now sold ; the wood-cutter's axe 

 is necessarily in demand previous to its removal. The greater part 

 of the wood brought into Utakamand is fetched by Badagas, and 

 is cut within 2 to 7 miles of the limits of the cantonment. The 

 right to remove dead trees necessarily induces an interest in 

 destroying them. The present establishment, consisting of a 

 forester and 6 peons, for the conservancy of the Nilgiri Sholas, 

 seems susceptible of improvement. One or more foresters are re- 

 quired ; but the peons, unl ess instructed and carefully selected men , 

 are comparatively useless. They have no authority, but assume 

 much. The duty of forester may be easily performed by one man, 

 provided the rules are such as to limit the authorised operations of 

 the wood-cutters to certain localities, as has been the custom : but 

 a better course appears to be, to portion out the sholas ; to con- 

 serve only a certain number of the finest growing trees to the 

 acre, or by estimate to the sholas ; to limit the period of cutting 

 say to one year in ten for each shola, and to plant afterwards 

 young quick growing-trees in and around each shola. The 

 forester would, by personal inspection, ascertain that no cutting, 

 was going on out of the authorised limits. All power to cut 



* The only objection to wire-fencing is expense and carriage. 



