18 
Indian Forest Records. 
[Vol. YU 
grasses. The quantity also increases enormously. From untreated 
ravines, no hay at all is obtainable. The following figures for two 
of the older protected plantations are instructive :— 
Area closed 
acres. 
Yield of cut hay 
1918-1919. 
Remarks. 
Total mds. 
Per acre. 
Kalpi 
1,385 
9,600 
7-0 
The drought of 1918 
materially decreased 
the normal supply 
Fisher Forest . 
750 
3,750 
5-0 
of grass. 
After the removal of the hay crop, a considerable amount of grazing 
was still left. 
This supply of fodder grass is useful at all times, and invaluable in 
years of deficient rainfall, in those very districts of the Province where 
shortage and famine are most frequent and most difficult to alleviate. 
During 6 months in 1919, Government was importing large quantities of 
hay irom the submontane forests to keep the cultivators’ cattle alive 
on which a loss of about 0-10-0 to 0-12-0 per maund was incurred. 
When an adequate area of ravine lands has been reclaimed, the culti¬ 
vator will obtain a superior fodder at a lower price at his very gates, 
and with no loss on expenditure to Government. The districts will 
in fact be practically safe from fodder famines. 
28. A word must be said to indicate the cause of damage and dangers 
to be reckoned with in these plantations, 
tions are r iiable. hlCh the planta * Emphatically first and foremost comes un¬ 
controlled grazing. In the first three or 
four years all grazing has to be stopped, until the young plants are 
safe from damage. But it will never be possible to have unlimited 
and uncontrolled grazing in reclaimed areas. As has been pointed 
out above, one of the principal causes of the ravine erosion has been 
the removal of the protective vegetative growth in the past by un¬ 
counted flocks and herds of camels, sheep, goats, donkeys, and cattle, 
and if this should occur again in reclaimed areas the ground would 
again be stamped hard and impervious, soil aeration and water 
absorption would vanish, and the tree growth would gradually vanish 
with it. To limited and controlled grazing, however, after a few years 
there can be no serious objection. 
Natural causes have so far not done any serious damage. The 
1918 drought killed a few scattered shisham plants and groups on high 
dry lands, and frost has done some damage amongst babul in low-lying 
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