12. I thoroughly agree with the remarks of Mr. KynnERSLEY in his Admin- 
istration Report for 1894: — 
“ There is much to be said in favour of a nursery in connection with a Forest 
“ Department but the attempt to keep up a Botanical Garden was a failure. Half 
“ the money voted for forests was spent in the Garden and the time of the Superin- 
“ tendent taken up in trying to grow plants in a sterile soil.” 
13. From my own experience and, the perusal of the reports on my predeces- 
sors and of Forest Officers, I place the uses of the Forest Reserves in this Settlement 
in the following order : — 
1st. — By far the most valuable. The preservation of the sources of the numerous 
small streams which flow from the hill ranges over which the greater part of the 
Reserves stretch. 
2nd. — The maintenance of the average rainfall. I do not think the area of the 
Settlement and the addition to the Forest Land of the Reserves in it are large enough 
to materially affect this. 
3rd. — Provision of timber for local use in the Districts adjacent to the Reserves. 
4th. — Supply of valuable timber for export. 
14. In concluding this report 1 would call attention to the advisability of pass- 
ing a Forest Ordinance similar to the Ceylon “Forest Ordinance 1885”. I attach a 
rough draft of such an ordinance drawn up by the Honourable C. W. S. KyNNERSLEY, 
C.M.G., Resident Councillor of Penang, who was in charge of this Settlement for the 
first two months of this year during my absence on leave, to whom I am also indebt- 
ed for the collection of much of the information, culled from old reports, con- 
tained in Appendix “ F.” 
15. Appendix “ H” * gives the Expenditure on and Revenue from the Reserves 
in each District during 1898. The totals for the Settlement are: — 
Expenditure, ... ... ... $1,485.4$ 
Revenue, ... ... ... ... 371.86 
Net Expenditure, 
I have, &c,, 
|.i,H 3.62 
WALTER EGERTON, 
Acting Resident Councillor. 
A. 
Land Office, 
Malacca , 3rd March, 1S99. 
* , 
Sir, — 1 have the honour to report as follows on the working of the Forest 
Department in the Central District during the year 1898. 
2. The only Reserve under the Land Office — Bukit Bruang was largely added 
to during the year. The original area was 3,459 acres and the additional land taken 
in, in two lots, 2,715 acres. The land round the Water Works which some years 
ago consisted largely of lalang appears now to be better covered with scrub and the 
lalang should soon disappear altogether. 
3. 1 here have been from time to time Nurseries of rubber and other trees started 
in the Reserve, two of these are doing well and are looked after by the Man dor at 
the Reservoir, a third had been somewhat neglected but is now being taken in hand 
again. 
4. The Reserve is looked after by a Corporal and one Guard. One unsuccess- 
ful prosecution took place of a Chinaman who was supposed to have set fire to some 
scrub on the edge of the Reserve when clearing round a grave on adjacent land. 
5. No cutting is allowed in the Reserve and there is no Revenue. 
The Expenditure was: — 
Salaries ... ... ... .... $192.00 
Rice Allowance ... ... ... 36.00 
Other Charges (Maintenance of Forest Reserves) 94-15 
* G . — Not printed. 
//. — Not printed. 
