14 
Indian Forest Records. 
[Vol. IV. 
Suggestions 
for future 
work. 
ever, India Las indigenous trees in all the regions where it is possible to 
grow such exotics as the Australian Myrtacese, which are quite as 
beautiful, have better timber and are more suitable for permanent 
cultivation in almost all respects except that of quickness of growth.” 1 
(8) The list given above, however, 
clearly shows that this question of exotics is a living and important one 
in the opinion of the Forest Department generally and with the object of 
systematising this work and of making it more remunerative than it has 
been in the past the following suggestions are put forward for consi¬ 
deration :— 
Primary 
attention to 
indigenous 
species. 
Decrease pure¬ 
ly arboricul- 
tural work. 
(I) The idea of replacing our valuable indigenous species on a 
large scale by exotics should be definitely abandoned. 
Every effort should be made to acquire and disseminate a 
more precise knowledge of the commercial value of our in¬ 
digenous species, to study their requirements more carefully 
and to elaborate methods of treatment based thereon which 
shall insure healthy development and the maximum perma¬ 
nent yield of their most valuable products. 
(II) Purely arboricultural work, such as the planting of ornamen¬ 
tal trees in avenues and elsewhere, should so far as possible 
be carried out under the supervision of the officers in charge 
of the various botanical and agri-horticultural gardens of 
the country. To these institutions might be forwarded with 
advantage the seed of those exotics regarding the suitability 
of which for this country little to nothing is known. The 
plants would probably have a better chance of surviving than 
if dealt with by the average Divisional Forest Officer who 
has few facilities for work of this kind. If seeds or plants 
of such species are subsequently required for experimental or 
ornamental planting they could be obtained from the local 
gardens. The seed thus obtained would be to some extent 
that of acclimatised plants and therefore likely to give 
better results than the first imported seed. The experience 
gained in the gardens, also, regarding the conditions suit¬ 
able for the species could be utilised with advantage. In 
connection with this class of work, however, more attention 
1 Manual of Indian Timbers, 1902, pp. 352, 353. 
[ 138 ] 
