5 
Annual Report on the Forests of Penang, for the 
year 1888. 
I. — Forest Reserves. 
1. No addition has been made to the reserved forests during the year, but 
the areas demarcated in previous years have been surveyed, and prove to be of greater 
extent than the original estimate by 1,321 acres. 
2. The total area under protection in the Island of Penang is 10,226 acres, or a 
little less than 16 square miles ; the total area of the Island being 107 square miles. 
3. The greater portion of these forests are on the hill ranges at altitudes vary- 
ing from 800 ft. to 2,750 ft., and although containing many excellent kinds of timber, 
would not at present pay for working ; consequently the duties of the Department are 
for the present mainly protective. 
4. During the early part of the year, these duties were not satisfactorily per- 
formed, but the appointment of Mr. I. Abrams to the post of Sergeant of Forest 
Guards in June resulted in a decided improvement. 
5. Twenty-four persons were prosecuted for forest offences during the year, 
mainly for illicit cutting of timber, sixteen of whom were convicted, and eight 
discharged. The total amount of fines inflicted amount to $ 105, which, with the 
exception of $5, were all paid. 
6. The boundaries have been kept clear at a cost of $128.35. 
7. New quarters for the Sergeant of Forest Guards have been erected, at a cost 
of $240, and alterations to the Assistant Superintendent's bungalow' cost $329.32. 
8. A fire occurred in the village reserve at Kubang Ulu in January, wdiich 
destroyed 10,000 young Mahogany trees planted out the previous season. The 
origin of this fire was not clearly ascertained, but from an examination of the spot 
immediately after, I am of opinion that it was owing to carelessness on the part of 
some person using the public foot-path at some distance from the reserve. It is 
worthy of note in connection with this that a clear path, fourteen feet broad, was 
useless in arresting the progress of fire travelling through lalang grass, and it is 
doubtful whether double that width would have been of any use. 
9. The vacancies caused by this fire have been filled up to the extent of the 
remaining stock of young Mahogany plants in the Nursery, but judging from the 
progress made, both here and in Penang, this tree is not likely to be of great value 
in this Settlement. 
10. In accordance with instructions received from His Excellency the Governor, 
the Assistant Superintendent visited the Dindings in January and July, with a view 
to obtaining information as to the condition of agriculture, and to assist in settling 
approximately the forest areas to be reserved. Copies of the reports submitted as 
the result of these visits are annexed. (Appendices B C D.) 
11. As this district supplies a large proportion of the timber used in Penang, 
and contains the only large workable forests of the Colony at this end of the Settle- 
ment, no time should be lost in putting them under proper management. 
12. The total expenditure in connection with the maintenance of Forest Re- 
serves is $1,690.36, as shown in statement of expenditure annexed. (Appendix A.) 
II. — Kubang Ulu Nursery. 
13. Little new work has been undertaken in this nursery, as it was hoped that 
a more suitable site would have been acquired and laid out during the year, in accord- 
ance with the suggestion put forward in last annual report, but unfortunately the 
year closed without this being carried into effect. 
14. I would again point out the necessity of acquiring suitable land on which 
to test the value of new and little cultivated vegetable products. 
15. Through the kindness of Thompson Low, Esquire, of Caledonia Estate, 
I am enabled to give the result of an analysis of twelve varieties of the sugar-canes 
referred to in last year’s report as having been introduced from the Mauritius. (Ap- 
pendix E.) 
16. Some of these promise to be in advance of any kind at present cultivated 
in this Settlement, but their real value cannot be estimated until they have been 
grown on better land than is at my command. 
