THF. TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [July 2, 1888. 
system. As the result of systematic treatment, it is 
hoped to guarantee a permanent sustained yield of 
timber, fuel, and minor forest produce, not only for the 
existing, but for future generations, to improve the 
climatic conditions, and hy judicious restrictions in re- 
gard to harmful cultivation to meet the wants, and 
safeguard the interests of all classes of the com- 
munity. There can be little doubt of the success 
of these measures, provid ed they are carried out with 
intelligence, fairness, and firmness on the part of the 
Government officers, together with an appreciation 
on the part of the people of the general benefit 
to the community that the Government has in 
view. 
Although the object of the State in the execution 
of the important trust committed t© it, both in regard 
to the welfare of the present and future generations, 
is strictly conservative, aDd has higher aims than the 
m ere acquisition of revenue; still, judging; from the 
re suits of forest conservation in India, the revenue to 
be derived from proper management is far in excess of 
the cost of establishments and working. Oeylon has 
in its forests timber and minor produce of not less 
vajlue, comparatively, than those of India, where the 
receipts in tbe year 1883-4 amounted to £1,052,190, 
and the clear profit to £403,815. Up to a very recent 
period this valuable State property in Oeylon, more 
particularly the forest produce, has not been disposed 
of to the best advantage. The Crown forests have 
been systematically plundered by a gang of native 
timber thieves, who, often with the connivance of 
native headmen, gained a rich harvest, thereby depri- 
ving the people generally of a revenue which should have 
passed into the Colonial Exchequer, and should have 
thereby benefitted the community at large. An orga- 
nised Forest Department will in the future aid the 
Government Agents in securing to the country this im- 
portant branch of the revenue. 
Not only are our forests worth preserving for the 
valuable timber, fuel, and minor produce they contain, 
and for the employment that forest management pro- 
vides for a certain proportion of the population ; but 
by judicious conservation, their indirect value as affect- 
ing the climatic conditions, and therefore the wants 
and interests of the people generally, will be greatly 
enhanced. There can be little doubt that forests ren- 
der climate more equable, increase the relative humi- 
dity of the air, and possibly augment the rainfall. In 
tropical countries like Oeylon, where the rain falls at 
certain seasons only, and then falls in heavy showers 
a covering of forest protects the soil from being 
washed away, and thereby mitigates the silting up of 
rivers and low lands. In this respect Oeylon has 
in the past suffered much by denudation. Again, 
forests regulate the water-supply, insure the sustained 
yield of springs, and render the flow of water in rivers 
more continuous ; they reduce the velocity of the wind, 
and afford protection to the neighbouring fields. 
Further, forests afford shelter to cattle and useful birds, 
and under suitable treatment improve the healthiness 
and picturesqueness of the country. 
Many instances might be cited of the evil effects of 
forest denudation in almost every country of the world; 
but some very striking ones were given in evidence 
in 1885 before the Select Committee of the House of 
Commons on Forestry, affording a useful warning of 
what might happen at no distant date in OeyloD, un- 
less preventive measures are taken. It was given in 
evidence by the late Political Agent of Jinjira, in 
Western India, that that native state, about forty 
miles long and from fifteen to one hundred miles 
wide, was at one time entirely covered with forest, but 
owing to the demands of the city of Bombay, three- 
fourths of the forest, in consequence of indiscrimi- 
nate felling, disappeared within seven years, aud the 
remaining fourth was only saved with difficulty. The 
result to this native state was simply ruinous, and 
if unchecked would have deprived it of all its re- 
sources. Another instance was brought before the 
notioe of the Committee. The district of Ratnagiri, 
fifty years ago, used to be the great rice-producing 
district of the west of India, when there wore dense 
forests extending U p to tbe Western Ghats. In tbe 
present day, the conntry up to the crests of the hills 
has been laid bare of forest growth, and the people 
complain bitterly of the yield of the rice land below, 
which ha9 been attributed to the destruction of the 
forest operating to prevent the water from being 
stored upon the hillsides : it runs away in violent 
floods instead of flowing gently over the country. 
There are parts of Ceylon at this moment, in the 
Southern and North-Western Provinces and in the 
Province of TJva, where the havoc of the chena cul- 
tivator threatens to repeat the disasters of Hatnagiri. 
In the middle of 1887, Mr. A. Thompson, of the 
Indian Forest Department, was deputed from India to 
advise the Government of Ceylon on the conservation 
of its forest. That officer, however, speedily lost his 
health, and in September of the same year resigned his 
appointment. Before leaving the Island he expressed 
the opinion that the most press'ng matters to be un- 
dertaken were the selection, demarcation, survey, and 
settlement of reserved forests. Mr. Thompson, owing, 
it is presumed, to want of time, left behind him no 
scheme of operations for the coming year. On his de- 
parture in October the Surveyor-General was appointed 
Acting Conservator of Forests in addition to his own 
duties. One of the most important matters that the 
Acting Conservator had to submit for the instruction of 
Government was the position of Foresters in relation to 
the Government Agents and the newly-created appoint- 
ment of Conservator of Forests. There is much to be 
said from a technical and departmental point of view in 
favour of Foresters being entirely under the control of 
the Conservator of Forests ; and, on the other hand, 
there is a good deal that may be adduced from a political 
point ot view in favour of placing the Foresters under 
the Government Agent. From a technical point of view 
it is of the first necessity that the working of the forests 
and the cultural operations connected therewith in order 
to ensure the proper continuity of the work, should 
be considered solely the business of the Conservator 
of Forests, subject of course, to the supervision of 
Government. This reason alone might by many be 
considered sufficient cause for the Forest Officers to 
be placed beyond possibility of interference by Go- 
vernment Agents. On the other hand, from a politi- 
cal point of view, it might be very properly urged 
that a Forest Department, working entirely without 
the knowledge of the Government Agent, might be 
neglectful of the interest and requirements of the 
people, and be prone to press the provisions of the 
Forest Law too hardly against them. 
With these chief considerations in view, I submit- 
ted to Government that a middle course was advis- 
able, and that the Forester of a Province should carry 
out the various forest works of demarcation, conser- 
vation, cultural treatment, &c. (as agreed upon an- 
nually by the Government Agent and the Conservator 
of Forests, and approved by Government) under the 
authority and protection of the Government Agent, 
while in administrative matters connected with disci- 
pline, pay, promotion, transfer, &c, he should be di- 
rectly under the Conservator of Forests. By this dual 
subordination, provided the Government Agent and 
Conservator of Forests worked harmoniously together 
and co-operated towards the common end both have 
in view, I ^conceived that the interests of both 
forest conservation and of the people would be 
met, in that the just demand and requirements of 
forest conservancy will be attended to under the full 
authority of the head of the Province, while full 
control over the Departmental finance and over the 
organisation and technical part of the work, is reserved 
to the Conservator of Forests, Government was 
pleased to approve of this recomendation. 
The matter next in importance was to draw up a 
project of operations for 1888. The Acting Conser- 
vator of Forests placed himself in communication with 
the Government Agents, and after learning their 
views drew up the following plan of operations for 
the year 1888 under the respective heading of — (a) 
Forest Demarcation, (b) Timber and Firewood Supply, 
(c) Re-afforestation, (cf) Extra Establishment. The plan 
of operations was sanctioned by Government in March, 
1888, 
