296 



. On Timber in the 



[No. 10, NEW SERIES. 



&c. I would strongly recommend that it may be immediately sanc- 

 tioned. It is at present almost impossible to procure good sized 

 Timber in Cuddapah, except at exorbitant prices. Of well season- 

 ed wood there is none to be had at any price. By opening out 

 these valleys at once, the Timber can be brought into Cuddapah, 

 and stored in our Timber yard till required for building purposes. 



5. The Hills, at the point of which I have been speaking, vary 

 in height from 1,500 to 1,800 feet above the Sea. Further East- 

 ward, however, they are considerably higher. A point at which 

 my tent was pitched for two days, in 14" 14' North Latitude, and 

 78" 76' East Longitude was about 2,300 feet above the Sea, or 

 1,800 feet above the town of Cuddapah. This was in a valley. The 

 highest point that I reached in the neighbourhood was 500 feet 

 higher, about 2,800 feet above the Sea. 



6. In this valley, where I was encamped for two days, there is 

 some very valuable Timber. Two larger plantations of young 

 Teak trees looked especially promising. Of these the largest had 

 been cut and hacked in a merciless manner by the villagers at the 

 foot of the Hills ; and none had been allowed to attain a fair size. 

 I am certain however, that if carefully preserved, these plantations 

 would in a few years become most valuable property. There was 

 also in this neighbourhood a fine show of Yepi and other useful 

 jungle Timber. Altogether I think, that considering the scarcity 

 of Timber, which always prevails in Cuddapah, it would be well 

 worth while to take some steps towards protecting the jungles on 

 this range of Hills from the wanton spoliation to which they have 

 been subject. 



7. In one part of the valley, of which I have been speaking, 

 a good deal of ground has been cleared for cultivation by some 

 enterprizing Ryots from the village of Wungymullah, at the foot of 

 the Hills. Hitherto they have grown only Raggi and Cholum ; 

 but during the last few months, some of their fields have been 

 under Indigo. They have also at considerable expense sunk a 

 large Well, and constructed an Indigo Vat, &c. They are now 

 most anxious to make a Tank, by throwing a bund across the 

 valley at a narrow point. They propose to do this at their own ex- 

 pense, and to bring a good deal of land under wet cultivation, on 



