APPENDIX B. 
Report on the Forests of the Dindings. 
As pointed out in my report on the agricultural condition of this District, the 
timber and other forest produce constitutes a most valuable crop, in many places of 
greater value, all things considered, than anything that could be put on the land were 
the existing forests destroyed. . , , j t 
2 The District has not been surveyed, but the approximate area is two hundred 
square miles, of which, so far as I can judge from a hurried visit, at least two-thirds 
are more or less covered with forests containing a large proportion of valuable timber 
trees such as Chengal, Damar laut, Tampenis , Merebau, M eranti , and others of more 
or less value; which, properly managed, will prove a permanent source o revenue 
'z The population is scanty, and consequently there are but few ol the difficulties 
to be met with that have been encountered in demarcating and settling the reserved 
areas in other parts of the Straits Settlements. . . 
4. The facilities for removing and marketing the produce in Penang are greater 
than in any other Crown forests at this end of the Settlement. 
5. Local steamers call regularly at Pangkor for fire-wood, and as the trade 
between Penang and Lower Perak increases, the demand for fire-wood is certain to 
increase also, thus affording a market for produce that is often wasted or of little 
6. Other sources of revenue are, damar, wood-oil, rotans, getah, bertarn, &c., 
lal of which will have to be taken into, consideration in the future administration of 
these forests. 
7. The present system of allowing Chinese to cut where and how they choose, 
on payment of royalty to the Government varying from three to nine cents per cu- 
bic foot for logs up to twenty feet in length, and a proportionally higher sum for 
greater lengthy will, in a few years, destroy all the more valuable timbers. In some 
places this is already the case, as I am informed by the District Officer, who remarks, 
and my own observations agree, that one of the most valuable timbers — chengal — will 
soon be exhausted unless protection and a different system of working be applied. 
8. The same thing has happened in Penang with the best form of damar laut, 
( Shorea sp.) which is specifically distinct from, and vastly superior to, the timber 
now generally known under that name. 
Old Malays inform me that the best form of damar laut, known as No. satu was 
plentiful thirty or forty years ago, but I know from experience that at the present time 
it is difficult to find a single tree. 
9. The revenue derived from forest produce in the Dindings during the past 
three years amounts to $2o,6ri.oi, but I have no information what proportion of that 
sum is derived from minor products. I think, however, it may be safely assumed that 
for this sum half a million cubic feet of timber have been removed, and a large quan- 
tity wasted, as there is under the present system no incentive to economy in working. 
10. The suggestions I have to offer are that a large proportion of this District, — 
(а) be declared Forest Reserve, and worked on a system that will ensure natural 
reproduction from seed, and also ensure that the quantity of timber removed 
does not exceed the annual yield of the forest ; 
(б) to do this the reserved area must first be marked out in blocks, and com- 
partments, for convenience in working, the boundaries surveyed, and suita- 
ble maps prepared ; 
(c) by careful examination the contents of each compartment should be ascertain- 
ed, the kinds and proportion of timber trees and other revenue-yielding pro- 
duce noted, and the approximate normal yearly increase ascertained ; 
(d) trees to be removed during the year from the compartment or compartments 
to be operated on should be marked by a competent person, and then sold 
by auction standing, removed by Government agency, or under a modifica* 
tion of the present system, as experience may prove best ; 
(e) restriction should be placed on the manufacture of “ Sagors ” by which pro- 
cess the greater portion of a whole tree (generally Chengal) of the first class 
is entirely wasted, to form the bottom portion of a native boat; 
(/) the cutting of certain valuable trees that are becoming scarce, to be specifi- 
ed after careful examination, to be entirely prohibited for a number of 
years ; 
