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2 154. Chau, which is on a slope about Purti, with better soil and exposure,
3 and every way suited for a plantation, has been extended by five acres, and has
4 had the old 10-foot line in the old plantation interplanted.
5 A new nursery site has been prepared at Barnal, which
6 is the place at which I recommended (in my note on Upper Chendb planting)
7 that all operations should at present be concentrated.
8 Nursery.
9 any ar Nee 155. The seeds of Cedrus Atlantica were sown
10 close to Kildr, in a place where deodar had well succeeded
11 from sowings of 1866, but failed. "
12 156. During the winter season Mr. Hillier, of this division, was employed
13 af eee Gre Poa on special duty, partly in determining the true boundaries
14 pecistduty: of the Kikranwall{ kikar rakh near Gujrdnwdla, and
15 afterwards on the Chendb river, especially in blasting to improve the water-way
16 at a place called Gusdanu below Riasi.
17 157. In order to utilize the services of the Upper Chendb Officer during
18 System for employingthe the winter season, when he is out of Pang, I have directed
19 Upper Chondb Officer in him that the whole season is to be passed on the river,
20 oe where there is ample work now in improving the water-
21 way and always in clearing the river ; starting with an efficient gang, he will
22 go down the stream clearing before him. The extent to which this was wanted
23 may be estimated by the fact that a counting party sent down by Mr. Sparling
24 in March 1871 counted 48,896 logs between Pangi and Riasi, which is the
25 himit of the Upper River Officer’s river charge.
26 158. Lower Chenéb.—The time of the Lower River Officer has been so
27 Pee ehsaante occupied by the State Railway work that he was unable to
28 carry out any blasting work in the river bed.
29 159. Upper Ravi.—Here again it is to be remarked that till the demar-
30 asl Fowasts. cation of the forests is finally done but little can be ex-
31 ae pected in the way of systematic improvements, taken up
32 seriatim in definite circles of work. ‘The only management,” Mr. Elliot writes,
33 = hitherto practicable is the prevention of felling, barking and lopping trees, or
34 ploughing up forest land.”
35 160. The work of the year as regards .improvement, besides that of con-
36 Clearing out old logs now tinuing the settlement of the forests, was to thoroughly
37 inns Sear clear out as many old logs as possible. All logs of former
38 fellings have been cleared out, except part of the lot bought from Sultan, which
39 prove much less than expected, and will not do more than cover the expense of
40 buying them.
41 Geiser aupeavanionts, 161. Some thinning, clearing out of stumps and cutting
42 creepers has been done.
43 162. Thinning is an operation which has hitherto been much neglected,
44 Remarkd ca Erica, and requires to be done, but systematically and with care.
45 In every forest division I have seen there is great need
46 for a careful consideration of the means of doing the work. The absurd idea
47 The idea that thinungis that thinning ‘ does itself’ should be discouraged. Of course,
48 fone ly usture, it is true that in virgin forests the overcrowded trees die
49 out, a struggle commences, and the stronger trees overcome and kill the weak
50 ones ; but this often results in the trees being left still too close and growing
51 up i tall lanky trees, which, on the least exposure, are destroyed by snow and
52 wind.
53 163. A rationally rendered assistance to do what nature can do only by
54 Artifoial thinning neces- time, and after an exhausting struggle, seems obviously
55 sary. right,—not only is the growth of the dominant tree serious-
56 ly retarded and crippled by the struggle, but the soil is exhausted meanwhile
57 by having to support a number of useless stems, which take out a deal of
58 nourishment before they finally succumb.