THE INDIAN FOREST RECORDS. 
Part II ] 
1908 
[Vol. I. 
A Preliminary Note on the 
Development of the Sal in 
Volume and in Money-Value 
By A. M. F. CACCIA, M.V.O. F.Z.S., l.F.S. 
Imperial Superintendent of Forest Working-Plans 
(With I illustration and a Map.) 
4 
INTRODUCTION. 
A CORRECT knowledge of the laws which govern the develop- 
ment of single trees and whole woods forms the foundation of 
Economic Forest Management. The statistical data upon which 
the.se laws are based enable the forester to fix the age at which 
woods should be exploited in order to yield the greatest return in 
produce or in money, or the highest interest on the money invested, 
and in addition they supply precise figures clearly indicating the 
manner in which certain sylvicultural operations should be carried out 
in order to obtain the best results. 
In the following pages an endeavour has been made to bring together 
the statistical data at present available regarding the development of 
Sal trees and Sal woods in volume and in money value. How little is 
now known will be made only too apparent. The deficieney may be 
largely attributed to the enormous extent of Divisional charges, the 
paucity of trained forest officers, frequent changes and transfers, and 
more specially to the absence of even-age woods, and the utterly ruined 
and wholly abnormal condition of many of the Sal forests. But perhaps 
even greater stress must be laid on the fact that much valuable infoim- 
ation bearing on this subject has undoubtedly been lost sight of, and is 
not at present available, owing to the absence in the past of any agency 
PABT n 
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