318 TEAK PLANTATIONS. 



important to the State, would probably be raised to an extent and 

 brought to a perfection hitherto unknown ; but if competent 

 practical skill and undivided attention is not given to the teak, 

 I see no ground of hope that the supply will be greatly, if at all 

 increased, or a field of supply created to any extent. I cannot, 

 therefore, too strongly express my opinion of the great import- 

 ance I attach to fostering the plans and supporting the exertions 

 of Mr Conolly." 



DR CLEGHORN S REPORT TO COLLECTOR OP MALABAR. 



" I this week (Aug. 1857) visited all of the extensive teak plan- 

 tations on the hanks of the Nelambur river, and it gives me great 

 pleasure to bear testimony to their flourishing and satisfactory 

 state, which promises apparently certain ultimate success, and 

 reflects great credit both upon the judgment of the zealous ori- 

 ginator (Mr Conolly), and upon the perseverance of Chatu Me- 

 non, the sub-conservator, who has, almost from the very begin- 

 ning, tended the nurseries, and watched the young plants. 



As regards the system of planting, I have no special improve- 

 ments to suggest. The seedlings are .in a most healthy and 

 thriving condition. The rows grow with singular regularity 

 and mathematical exactness. The latter sowings are the finest, 

 partly because the site of Nelambur is preferable to that of Ar- 

 riacode, and partly because the distance of six to eight feet be- 

 tween the seedlings has been found to answer much better than 

 one yard, which was tried at first. 



There seems to be only one essential to the entire success 

 of this great experiment, viz., the careful systematic thinning 

 and pruning of the plantation. The good effects of Mr M'lvor's 

 visits to Nelambur are manifest in the present state of the por- 

 tions planted in 1843, 1844, and 1845, which had the benefit of 

 his skilled treatment in 1853, 1854, and 1855. 



It appears to me that a smaller piece of land should be cleared 

 for planting next season, and that the time and labour of the 

 -establishment should be chiefly directed to prosecuting the neces- 

 sary pruning and thinning, which has not been fully carried out 

 for the last two or three years. 



