1 12
2 66. In order to give a correct idea of the real cost of the plantations, it 1a
3 necessary to add annually the intcrest that would be derived from the amount
4 expended were 1t otherwise invested. In drawing up the plantation Return, I
5 have therefore added another column showing the coat, plus compound interest at
6 4 per cent.
7 Section V.
8 Yield and working of the Forests.
9 67. The Departmental timber operations have, owing to the large stock of
10 wood already on hand, been confined within the very narrowest limits. On the
11 demand, however, for sleepers for the Wardha Valley Railway, the felling of un-
12 sound trees was commenced in the Ahiri forest, and up to the close of the year
13 381 trees had been felled, logged, and brought to depdt at Alapilli. The yield
14 from these amounted to 13,872 cubic fect, or about aig, cubic feet per tree. Up
15 wards of 56,000 cubic feet of dry timber adapted for sleeper purposes which was
16 lying in the forest has also been collected at the Alapilli Depot. An attempt
17 was made to carry out the collection of the timbor by contract, but it was found
18 that the best carts procurable were not capable of transporting the larger logs,
19 and that on the whole it was cheaper to work with Government carts and cattle.
20 A larger quantity of timber would have been collected, had it not been necessary
21 for the Divisional Officer to be present at Kamthi during the timo that the
22 machinery for the sleeper work was being tested and put in order, but on the
23 whole the progress in this portion of the work is satisfactory,
24 68. Considering the compactness of the Ahiri forest and the possibility of
25 collecting the timber felled at large depots, it was deemed
26 expedient to have recourse to steam saw machinery for the
27 conversion of the wood into sleepers, A second-hand vertical saw frame and a 10
28 horse-power engine were accordingly purchased and an old but workable engine
29 and circular saw bench, transferred to this Department from the Godavari works.
30 The circular saw is at work cutting sleepers fron the small pieces, and the
31 vertical saw frame is being set up and will shortly be ready for ripping up
32 the large logs. The transport of the vertical saw frame and engine from Kam-
33 thi to Alapili has in itself been a heavy undertaking, and it is therefore
34 satisfactory to know that with the exception of the pulley wheel of the new
35 engine, which was detained with the view of having one of a greater diame-
36 ter cast, but which has since been despatched, the whole of the machinery has
37 been transported to Alapilli without damage to any part of it,
38 69. In the Northern Division there was a large stock of timber on hand
39 at the commencement of the year which it was not considered expedient to
40 increase ; the work in this Division has therefore been confined to bringing
41 portions of the material now on stock to more accessible depdts. An examination
42 of the greater portion of the stock on hand was made by Mr Jacob during the
43 year, the result of which was a certain amount of rejections on account of deterio-
44 ration, as may be seen from Form No 25 attached.
45 70. In the Western Division, 910 Hardu, Bijasal and Rohun trees were
46 felled for experimental sleepers in the forests of Bowergarh and Sowligarh. These
47 have all been logged and brought to depots, where the Hardu and Bijasal will
48 be allowed to season before conversion ' the Rohun timber was found so liable to
49 split as to be useless for sleepers, and the order to experiment with this description
50 of wood has consequently been cancelled.
51 Steam saw mschinery,
52 In the forest of Chandgarh, Anjun trees have alsq been felled for experimental
53 sleepers. From portions of the stock on hand in the Western Divsion 3,048 teak
54 sleepers have been prepared and delivered at Khandwa for the Holkar (State)
55 Rail way, but from reports recently received. there appear to have been a largy
56 pumber of rejections,
57 19—-159—550