1 16
2 contribute to the requirements of the inhabitants of the country lying west of
3 Seoni and south of the line of railway, and about Ks. 15,000 of the revenue from
4 these three forests results from the supply of thisdemand. As the leasing system
5 is in force, about 25 percent on the district revenue must be added ax the profits of
6 lessees. This raises the amount contributed by the people to Rs. 37,700, or
7 about four-fifths the ammount realized in the less favoured district of Nimar, the
8 population of which amounts to little more than half that of Hoshangabad. But
9 it must be remembered that in some parts the forests of Betul are not far dis-
10 tant from the plains of Hoshangabad, and that portion of the forest revenue in the
11 former district is paid by the inhabitants of the latter. But itseoms to me that
12 the smaller amount paid to Government by the pcople of Hoshanyabad is chicfly
13 to be attributed to the summary settlement of the larve forest tracts known as
14 ‘the Malni ilaka, which is about 200 square miles in extent. From this tract a
15 considerable supply of wood of the unreserved sorts can be procured, and the
16 people resort thither in great numbers to supply their wants. A proposition for
17 taking up a portion of this area, in which teak is plontiful, and placing it on the
18 footing of the State forests, will shortly be laid before the Chief Commissioner,
19 but the whole tract is valuable for its forest produce, which with grazing consti-
20 tute alinost entirely the sources of revenue.
21 84. The Deputy Commissioner proposes introducing the Nimar system
22 with some modifications as soon as the current leases have expired.
23 85. In accordance with the Chief Commissioner’s Circular No. 95 of 1869,
24 eleven blocks of forest have been sct apart as grass
25 and fuel reserves under the District authorities. Of the
26 remaining portion 90 blocks were retained under direct management, partly on
27 account of the low offers for tho leases, but chiefly owing to the complaints of
28 the extortion of the lessees in previous years. The remaining 158 chucks were
29 leased by auction, and with one exception the leascs were purchased by Malguzars
30 of the adjoining villages.
31 Betul district.
32 86. Major Glasfurd has furnished the following details regarding the
33 quantity of forest produce supplied to meet the wants of the people :—
34 | Cart Bullock Cooly
35 loads, loads. loads.
36 1. Building Timber wie mee i. 25;840 9,750 20,120
37 2. Firewood ane one Sus ne 11,950 715 26,700
38 3. Bamboos | 17,740 2.980 5,050
39 4. Grass cae we ae ee 17,790 215 65 O00
40 5. Charcoal me ie er — 210 3,525 1 810
41 the equivalent of which, according to forest measurement, would amount in round
42 numbers to 4,45,000 cubic feet of building timber, 1,33,000 maunds of firewood,
43 18,30,000 bamboos, 21,000 cart loads of yrass, and 6,000 maunds of charcoal.
44 These quantities are very large when compared with the revenue of the district,
45 which for the year under report amounted to Rs. 20,046-5-4, or a trifle more
46 than was realized in 1870-7 lL.
47 87. Major Glasfurd writesthat the forests near the Narbada valley are
48 being cleared of Khair (Accacia caticha), which he thinks it is a pity was not
49 included among the reserved sorts of timber. He also adverts to the harm
50 done by the Gaolis in cutting bamboos to allow their buffiloes to browse on
51 the leaves, and expresses his imtcntion of stopping the practice in certain por-
52 tions of the forests and placing some of the teak bearing tracts along tho ‘Tawa
53 river and near the Hoshangabad district under a strict system of consorvation.