1 3
2 Chicf Commissioner thinks that a great quantity of other work is
3 more important than the making of working plans, and he has no
4 doubt that the forests of the Central Provinces require (as regards
5 large timber) rest and conservation, not working.
6 10. Fires have been successfully excluded from several of the for-
7 ests. The results of such preservation from fire should continue to be
8 most carefully watched and recorded. On this subject the Department
9 has such deep rooted prejudices among all classes to overcome, and so
10 many interests to contend with, that it will require all the skill and
11 ability of the Department to secure an acknowledgment of the neces-
12 sity of the measure. It must, in connexion with this important
13 branch of conservation, be remembered that so long as any class of
14 people are allowed to count on Reserved forests as grazing ground for
15 their cattle, they will have a direct interest in burning the grass, as
16 the burning is no doubt an advantage from the grazier’s point of
17 view, though ruinous from the forester’s.
18 11. In para. 55 you allude to an experiment that will be made to
19 determine the number of cattle that may be grazed on a particular
20 area without injury. The inquiry is a most interesting one. When
21 it is once known what number of cattle per acre can be grazed on
22 land without leaving it bare, forest officers will be able to raise a
23 revenue from this source in places where they should not now permit
24 any cattle to enter. It would probably be politic to enter in all
25 grazing permits that if the jungle to which it extends is burned from
26 any cause the permit ceases to have effect from that date.
27 12. Paras. 77 to 106,—Regarding the management of Unreserved
28 forest tracts or waste lands the Officiating Chief Commissioner will
29 not make any remarks here.
30 13, The practice referred to in para. 87 of cutting down bamboos
31 merely to feed cattle on the leaves is a waste that no District Officer
32 should ever have permitted.
33 14. The circumstances of the Wardha district are briefly noticed
34 in para. 93. Colonel Keatinge has himself visited that district and
35 considers it absolutely necessary to preserve the existing jungles, both
36 for minor forest produce and for the water-supply, but he doubts the
37 necessity of artificial planting,
38 15, Jn Chanda it appears that an effort is being made to enlist
39 ¥jllagers in the cause of conservation of forests and keeping out fire
40 and cattle, by granting them certain privileges in return for the
41 watch they keep. The Officiating Chief Commissioner very strongly
42 recommended to the Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur a trial of
43 the same plan on the forest lands of that district about Hathibari.
44 He is convinced that much valuable conseryancy can be effected by
45 employing these villagers.
46 _ 16. Regarding the commutation system and your remarks on
47 it in para. 106, the Officiating Chief Commissioner would express his
48 “pinion that the commutation system that suits the people best, yield-