1 ( 40 )
2 APPENDIX E.
3 Extract from the Assistant Conservator’s Annual Report for the year 1871-72.
4 Aut, the forests, except the Dhulka Jhar, in the Dar-
5 Desorption of Forest Tracts in Cooch
6 Behar. jeeling Terai, were gone through carefully, tract by tract,
7 as follows :—
8 1. Mechi forests. 5. Thynanoka, Noonmattee, and Rungamattee.
9 2. Lohaghuree tera. 6. Moorgow Jhar
10 3. Balasun. 7. Champassarree Jhar.
11 4, Gareedhura. 8. Dhulka Jhar.
12 No. 1 tract of forest is Sissoo and Khair; it covers an area of 1,183 acres, and was
13 found to contain very little timber of value or size. It has not more than about 500 full
14 grown trees of Sissoo and Khair,—not more than 351) of the latter. This tract is on the banks
15 of the river Mechi, and is low, flat, sandy, and stony; it is inundated yearly more or less.
16 No. 2, ‘“‘ Lohaghuree,” is a tract at the foot of Lohaghur Ihills. It contains no timbor
17 of any kind, and is a small tract, slightly hilly.—Sandy soil, with very heavy grass jungle.
18 No. 3, “ Balasun.’’—Sissoo and Khair on the banks of the Balasun On this tract, which is
19 almost the same as No. 1, there is little or no full grown timber; it contains more Khair than
20 Sissoo. Timber on this tract, and also No. 1, never grows to any great sizo, and many of the
21 trees are hollow; this is caused by the floods, which carry stones and all kinds of things with
22 it, which hurt the young trees by knocking off the bark; the tree then rots
23 No. 4, “ Gareedhura’”’—a very small patch of Sissoo and other jungle on the bank of the
24 Rucktie river and near the slopes of Bamunpokree—has a few tull grown trees on it, about
25 100. This is a flat, sandy piece of land, and is really the old bod of Ruoktie, on the slopes of
26 Bamunpokree, which is near the last-named patch. There is no timber to speak of: there are
27 about 50 full grown Challownee and Magnolia.
28 No. 5, “ Rungamattee,” is a tract from the Rohnee Jhara to Sookna, on new cart-road,
29 a narrow strip of about 1,850 acres; has a fow young S&l trees, but no matured timber of any
30 kind. This tract is broader near Sookna or cart-road, and is sandy about a foot below the
31 surface, the top boing dark, rich looking soil; near the Rohnee the land is low and damp;
32 near the cart-road or Rung Thung river, it is high and woll drained land, but covered with
33 heavy grass jungle and common jungle trees.
34 No. 6, “ Moorgow Jhar.”—This tract is from Sookna or cart-road to Mahanuddy river
35 at foot of the hills; is well drained land for the most part, and very rich soil. Is the same af
36 No. 5, has heavy grass jungle with a few young Sal trees on it; no matured timber. All
37 matured timber was cut in former years by a Mr Doar; all the good timber was cut in the
38 Terai by Mr. Dear. From Mechi to Sivoke there is about 2,688 acres; of this more than
39 half is waste land with grass only on it. Many patches of this tract, as also No. 5, have been
40 cleared and cultivated in former years by Mechta. avery wild and uncivilized race of people,
41 who wander from place to place, never stopping for more than two years in one place.
42 No. 7, ‘“ Champasarree Jhar.”—This tract of country runs from Mahanuddy to Sivoke
43 on the Teesta; it has no matured timber on it. All full grown or timber of any size has been
44 cut. About one-half of this tract is complete waste, with nothing on it. Area about 7,557 acres.
45 Tlere and there a few patches of young Nal are met with ho land is rich and good, and
46 for the most part well drained. The soil is the same as Nos. 5 and 6 till within 4 miles of
47 Sivoke, where a long slip of land is mot with joining the Rajah of Julpigoree’s land, called
48 Bycuntpore forests. This ri! is well stocked with very fine S4l about three parts grown ;
49 the land is very well drained, high, and sandy, with dark soilon top From this patch a large
50 supply of timber may be got in some 30 years hence. As the ground gots higher, the Sal gets
51 better and of a larger size. Joining this tract, at Sivoke Jhara, a strip of land runs down by
52 the bank of the Teesta; it has little or no timber on it. There are some 100 young Sal trees,
53 and a few Sissoo, but none of any size.
54 No. 8, “ Dhulka Jhar,” was not regularly gone through this year, as it was inspected
55 last year. Dhulka Jhar may be said to be tho only tract with timber of any sizo on it in the
56 Terai, on the west of the Teesta. I would not recommend any attempt of any kind of
57 ee in the Darjeeling Terai, except to koop open such forest roads as there ure,
58 namely—
59 : 1. From Balasun to Lohaghur vd the Sissoo patch No. 1.
60 2, Traces out in the Dhulka Jhar in 1870-71, kept olear,
61 one road from NSookna on cart-road to Sivoke, wd
62 Mahanuddy, all at w cost of about Rs. 300.