1 ( 11 )
2 49. This expenditure is far greater than it should have been, and shows
3 want of care and attention. It must be admitted,
4 hewever, that it 1s impossible for one officer alone
5 to be present at all points of such a large division as Cooch Behar, and an assist-
6 ant is very much required to take charge of the tracts across the Teesta river.
7 50). pains ams a plantation, if of Toak, exclusive of surpervision, should
8 not cost more than Ks. 30 to 35 per acre: thus—
9 Remarks on expenditure
10 Rs. A. P.
11 Cutting jungle ae ie er 2 8 0
12 Part hoeing vas oa sac ee 3 0 OU
13 Making holes fortransplants _... as din 5 0 0
14 Lining and staking and sowing seeds see 13 8 O
15 For Tea planting there is an extra expense of some Rs. 5 per acre for
16 burning and digging out roots, which however 18 scarcely necessary for a
17 timber plantation; but supposing this work be done, there should not be an
18 expenditure of more than Rs. 18-8 per acre for preparing the ground and
19 sowing the seed. If transplanting from nurseries is done, then Rs. 3 per acre
20 should be added.
21 The plantation will require clearing for three years,—say three times the first
22 year, twice the second year, and once the third. This at Rs. 2 per acre would
23 udd Rx. 14, giving a total of Rs. 35-8 per acre at the end of three years, when
24 Teak will take care of itself.
25 51. Slow growing trees, however, cost a vast deal more, owing to the
26 number of years they require to be kept clear from jungle.
27 ASSAM.
28 52. The plantation, about 4 acres, on the Dehing at Makoom, plantea m
29 1869, is os on Forrest, who was desired to
30 : ng, report on it, says that the young trees poate cars’
31 Sa tenet aieey ceepvariae old) average 20 to 25 feet . height and are age 1]
32 inches in girth at 1} feet from the ground. Why he should have chosen such a
33 height from tlre ground for measurement, is not clear. This girth mm propor-
34 tion to height would indicate that the young trees are standing too loa
35 together, and require thinning. Tle does not give the distances between the plants.
36 53. Between 20 and 25 acres were prepared for planting last year, and
37 Teak seed from Burmah was sent up to stock the land. The sudden departure
38 of Mr. Mann, the Assistant Conservator of the division, on sick leave, almost
39 entircly put an end to all planting. The work fell into the hands of a forester
40 who had been for a long time in the department and knew the work well, but
41 he did vory little, and at such a distance up country, could not be readily com-
42 municated with. He has since been dismissed. Mr Forrest reports that some
43 3,500 seedlings were planted out, 50 being put into vacancies in the old plan-
44 tation, but he docs not give the area occupicd by them. The expenditure in
45 Assam under this head was Rs. 393.
46 SHILLONG.
47 54. Tho Lieutenant-Governor having expressed a wish that a plantation
48 should be formed at Shillong, the Conservator, in communication with the
49 Deputy Commissioner, selected a tract of land covering some hundreds of acres
50 just beyond the station, and which the native chief was willing to transfer on a
51 perpetual lease at moderate rent.
52 53. The Commissioner’s approval having been obtained, with the sanction
53 ene rs of Government the land has been taken up on lease.
54 Beotch Fir. Seeds of various kinds, as per margin, were sent for
55 sa Heat from England in October. These have since been
56 Ath, received and sent up to Shillong, as ordered by
57 ellingtomsa Gigantia.
58 Government, as the plantation is to be in charge of
59 the Deputy Commissioner. Some portions of the seeds wero distributed to the