1 ( 5 )
2 22. In Kumaon and Gurhwal the sil forests are not, as a rule, very much
3 infested with croepars ; what there arc, arc pretty fuirly kept down by the patrols and
4 rangers, who cut them whenever they come across them in their beats.
5 23. Inthe Luchuwalla forest in Dehra Doon, where sawing operations have been
6 going on during this last winter, 7? square miles of forest have been quite cleared of
7 creepers, at a cost of a little under Rs. 22 per square mile. The Deputy Conservator
8 is going to carcfully note how long those cut this year take to regain such a size as to
9 require cutting again: this will be a usoful and valuable record.
10 24, Some of the Goruokpore forests, especially Nugwa and Sonahree, are terribly
11 choked with creepers of an enormous size. Nothing much has as yet been done towards
12 getting rid of them, on account of such continued changes amongst the officers in charge
13 of the division. It is a work of time, and shall not be lost sight of.
14 PLANTATIONS.
15 25. Mr. Craw’s report fur the past year is as follows :—
16 ‘¢ TY have the honour to submit for your information a report of the progress made
17 in the plantations and nursories at Raneekhst during the past oMoial year 1871-72,
18 ‘¢ 1s¢t.—During the first few months of the year, and until Government sanctioned
19 in July the 45 acres of land in the Troup estate for a new nursery, al] sowing and
20 planting operations were confined to the small station nursery and the few available
21 bare patches in cantonments, and consequently were on a limited scale, more particu-
22 larly as regards planting,—2,666 gum and 638 deodar trees only having been planted
23 out. Since then, very extensive sowings and plantings of all desirable forest and
24 fruit trees have taken place,—viz., 70 acres of abandoned tea gardens and clearances
25 on the Troup estate have been ploughed and sown wholly with deodar seed, and a
26 large ravine of about 30 acres in cantonments with gums, alders, chestnuts, and
27 walnuts. The walnut seeds were sown in numerous small prepared stations
28 throughout the ravine, and would have grown well if they had been left alone, but
29 being in the neighbourhood of large bodies of work-people engaged in quarrying and
30 carting stone for the now barracks, the nuts wore dug up; and though others were
31 quickly sown, and a strict surveillance instituted to prevent any one interfering with
32 them, only a small percentage have produced trees. In all future plantings in can-
33 tonments, while work-people are about, it will be advisable to put down young trees
34 only. 7,600 gum and 1,660 alder trees have been planted in cantonments, and, with few
35 exceptions, aro doing well. All the English fruit troes, with the exception of the
36 gooseberry bushes, a few currants, and a single pear tree, have been safely transferred
37 to the new nursery, where they are growing satisfactorily, and producing cuttings and
38 grafts.
39 ‘6 2nd.—With the kind assistance of the Commissioner, and Captain Birney, the
40 Executive Engineer, I was able to procure last autumn 39 maunds of deodar seed ;
41 but as this large quantity was more than sufficient to sow all the available cleared
42 forest land on the Troup estate, I made extensive seed-beds of it in the nursery for
43 future plantings in steep places where it would be impossible to plough and sow seods.
44 The seed-bods contain over 115,000 fino healthy secdlings.
45 “ 3rd.—Eighteen pounds of gum seed from Australia have also been sown, and in
46 addition a parcel of Acacia dealbata and decurrens seed, and two packets of Lucalyptus
47 colossea and Megacarpa from Dr. Von Muller, Director of the Botanical Gardens,
48 Melbourne. These seeds are all germinating freely. But a packet of secds of Cedrus
49 atlantica, sent to me by the Inspector-General of Forests from Dr. Hooktr, Director
50 of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, havo not germinated, and I would respectfully
51 recommend another packet of frosh seeds being procured for further trial,