1 [ v ]
2 12. Do not put them éoo close to the edge of the foot-path, or they will be injured, but
3 a little way in.
4 Forest Restoration and Cultwation.
5 13. These forests give only another of the numerous proofs of the damage of fire and
6 cattle. The present growth of trees throughout must be inferior, and the gradual restoration
7 of the whole forest, therefore, is a necessity ; the present growth is, in many instances, fit for
8 nothing but to shade the ground till something better is produced. Many of the young
9 secdlings that escaped the fire did so only to be nibbled by cattle.
10 14. The nurseries are not named ; there are three—the upper one, which in my opinion
11 ig too dry for anything but Chil and Grewia, should be “ Kuntla nursery.” The large one
12 down below should be “ Siknoo No. I.,” and the little one further on the stream, where rice is
13 now growing, should be “Siknoo No. II.,” or some other definite name. The upper nursery,
14 Kuntlé, should be re-sown at beginning of the rains, and some of the willow cuttings also put
15 in to shade the ground. It ts remarkable how easily willow grows, as some pieces of
16 willow wood put in as posts, in that dry situation, have already taken root and sprouted.
17 15. The lower nursery, Siknoo No. I., requires watering with discretion, (not to get the
18 place into a swamp) ; if the seeds do not germinate, (but many of them will no doubt,) re-sow
19 the place in the beginning of the raina.
20 16. In this nursery we ought to have the Hucalyptus, and also abundance of Grewia,
21 (Dhdman) and Acacia Kangraensis. I had also asked Mr. Righy to collect kakkar (Pistacia
22 Integerrvma.) secd largely, as it is a valuable wood ; effort should be made to get all seeds
23 possible of these good kinds.
24 17. Mr. Elliott spoke of deodar, but I do not think it will extensively succeed ;
25 however, a little should be put in a small nursery in that high but moist piece near the top
26 of Bara hill, which we noticed on our walk on the 12th June.
27 18. The holes on B&fré should be re-sown at the beginning of the rains; perhaps three
28 seeds to a hole are too few, especially if you have plenty of seed. At the same time the
29 ground may be loosened and disturbed, but not worked or turned over, in favorable places
30 where there 1s a chance of natural seed fall. Do all this over a definite locality, not in a
31 desultory way.
32 19. I observe that no note-book is kept up for these forests, consequently the whole of
33 Mr. Sanderson’s valuable work, as far as our knowledge of it is concerned, is lost. Unless
34 we make precise notes, giving the dates of sowing and all particulars regarding season, soil
35 and results, we shall not arrive at certain conclusions regarding the cultivation and treat-
36 ment of our stock trees.
37 20. A note-book must be opened, divided into distinct heads, as for ‘Chil Nurseries,
38 ‘ Nurseries of other trees,’ ‘ Chil sowings in the forest,’ &c., &c.
39 21. The work of sowing and getting ready nurseries must progress, but planting work
40 three or four years hence, on the large scale, will be both easier and cheaper, as by that time
41 there will be a good coating of matured and‘ assimilated ‘ humas.’
42 22. All the nurscries require improvement by quantities of vegetable mould ; largo
43 pits should be prepared to be filled with dead leaves, &c., with some burnt lime and water
44 run in to facilitate decomposition.
45 23. For immediate use a large quantity of dead leaves should be burned in pits, and
46 tho ashes put on the nurseries and lightly worked in.
47 24. The soil is in most parts good, 2. ¢., rich in mineral constituents, but needs vege-
48 table mould.
49 B. H. BapEN POWELL,
50 Offg. Conservator of Forests, Punjab.