MEMORANDUM ON GODAVARI TIMBER.

Mr G. A. Smith, collector of Rajamandri, reported, 18th August 1838, on the timber of his district (vide "Papers on Teak Forests of India" p. 187), in Records of the Bengal Government, No. IX.

1. The great depôt for the Gódávarí teak is Kòringa, where many vessels are built; yet even there it is found more profitable to plank vessels chiefly with teak brought from the opposite coast of Pegu. Either from want of means of transport, or the force of habit, the wood-cutters about the Godávari cut short almost every log to a length of 18 or 20 feet, and cut away onehalf of the thickness of the finest logs, leaving three projecting pieces (as represented in fig. 1, p. 4), which are pierced for staples, for convenience in lashing either the yokes of the buffaloes for conveying them from the forest, or in rafts on the water. The Palmers of Hyderabad at one time farmed teak forests, and sent down some very fine timber; but the speculation was given up, as their agent at Nellapallé was unable to obtain the prices. Government might perhaps prevent the waste noted by charging an excessive duty on all timber so hacked. It is strange that this waste is only in the teak timber, and not in woods of an inferior description.

2. In 1850, Captain Fenwick proceeded on an expedition to investigate and report upon the forests in the valley of Sávitri (Sebbery), and the country between it and the Indrawati. The result was not very favourable; no large teak was said to have been found, and forests of salwood, of various dimensions, were almost all that Captain Fenwick reported.

3. In 1856, Mr Tuke was sent to explore the Sávitri river.

He penetrated to a forest about 130 miles distant from its mouth. He mentions, that he had no doubt that there were 800 good (teak) trees in the neighbourhood of Kanníriráda. He specifies, that he met with trees measuring 11 and even 15 feet in circumference, and from 30 to 45 feet in length, proving that the teak grows to its full size in that country. Mr Tuke wrote, "much teak may be found in the Suncham Tàluk, growing in patches," He was informed that "the Dorapallé and Gollapallé Parganas were most abundant in teak wood." The Rissaldár, in charge of the Raja's horse there, informed him that large teak is abundant all along the banks, and in the neighbourhood of the Indrawati, but that it has never been cut, owing to the obstructions in the river, which prevented its being brought down.

Mr R. Watson, the agent of Livingston, Withers, & Co. of Liverpool, who "lately returned by river from Chànda, informed me (1859), that in the district of Chànda, territories of Nagpur, principally in the Zamindari of Ahèri, belonging to the late Bhujanga Rào, and now in possession of his widow, Lakshmi Bhài, extensive forests of teak and other useful woods exist, the use of which is at present obstructed by a loan to a native merchant of Hyderabad, Hari Dàs & Co." These forests are wastefully managed, under-sized trees being felled, and the logs generally rudely converted. Many fine trees still remain, which, "from their immense size, are unmanageable" without special appliances; and it seems desirable that the attention of Government be directed to this matter, as these logs are of a number and scantling which, with the extended operations now in progress for opening the river traffic, would apparently afford an abundant supply of valuable timber for the various requirements of the eastern ports, railway companies, &c. From Aherí all the way south to the commencement of the Ellana Zamindari, there is fine teak; logs 30 feet long, and 4 feet in diameter, are procurable.

Mahadeopuram, on the right bank of the Godavarí, is the great depôt for Secunderabad; large rafts come down from Aherí by the Varada and Indrawati rivers. The timber is carried to Secunderabad on carts for building purposes, 18 feet long by 1 cubic foot square.

Bija Sal or Vengé (Pterocarpus marsupium) attains an enormous size, and is used for godowns, &c., at Chànda.

5. Lieutenant R. H. Beddome, Asst. Conservator of Forests, prepared an accurate and useful list of the timber trees (with native names), which he met with in the Hyderabad portion of the Gódávarí forests. This catalogue is printed in the " Jury Reports of the Madras Exhibition, 1857" (p. 46), but detailed information regarding the teak forests in the valley of the Godavari is still wanting.

H. CLEGHORN.

NOTE. Subsequent to the visit of Sir C. Trevelyan to the Godavari and to the publication of this Memorandum, which was drawn up immediately after, few additional facts have been ascertained on this subject. Capt. Stoddard, however, in a letter to Government, dated October 24, 1859, states, that "there is an abundance of the very finest teak growing between the Severi and Indrawati rivers, which might, by European enterprise, be brought down to the Severi," which he considers quite navigable for boats drawing from 5 to 6 feet from June to November.

H. C.

AVENUES.

EXTRACT LETTER to Major BIRDWOOD, Deputy Chief-Engineer.

MADRAS, 9th December 1859.

SIR, I had the honour of receiving your letter of 16th August last, No. 3900, forwarding for my opinion a letter from Mr Fraser regarding avenue trees on the Nilgiris and in the Coimbatore district.

1. As regards the general question, I shall be happy at all times to afford your department every assistance and advice, but I cannot undertake the charge of avenues generally, for I have a much smaller establishment at my disposal for this purpose than district engineers possess, and my time is fully occupied with my own duties.

2. If, as I gather from Mr Fraser's letter, the D. P. W. cannot efficiently manage the avenues of Coimbatore, the natural course, I think, is to replace them under the collector, who has subordinates in every village quite competent to manage them. There is, in fact, nothing difficult in managing them; all that is requisite is ordinary care and frequent attention; and as neither your department nor mine have the requisite number of subordinates to do the work, the best plan will be to retransfer it to the collector, who has. In fact, Mr Fraser does himself propose what in effect amounts to this-viz., that the village authorities should be made to look after these trees; but he requests that they should act in this respect under my superintendence. This last suggestion is in my view objectionable, because, in the first place, I cannot superintend them; and in the second, because it never

answers to place officers under several authorities. The village officials have masters enough already; and to place them for such a comparatively subordinate and occasional duty under either your orders or mine, would be a mistake. Such a system would lead to collision and endless correspondence. The simplest plan is to leave the business to the collector, with whom both your department and mine would cordially co-operate. In particular localities, your department alone might do the work; for instance, channel banks, tank bunds, and trunk roads, could probably be supervised by your establishment; but for general avenues along miles of cross roads, the collector seems to me the proper officer at present.

3. So long as the avenues are under your department, I think the collector should have the power noted in Mr Fraser's letter. Your overseers and maistries are often pressed for fuel, as he says, and thus they have sometimes a temptation to fell or prune excessively for fuel and other such purposes rather than for the good of the trees. It is necessary, therefore, that there should be a check on them; and as I cannot exercise it, it must devolve on the collector. In my view, the best and simplest plan is that given above for such districts as Coimbatore.

I will now notice the propositions in Mr Fraser's letter:

(1.) Nurseries are absolutely necessary; but I cannot form them everywhere. The best plan would be to select suitable sites, and place them under the nearest competent officer resident there, whether in the Revenue, D. P. W., or Forest Department. The trees might be supplied on the requisition of the officer in charge of the avenues, &c.

(2.) Plantations might be formed where the requirements of Government are sufficiently large and steady to warrant them; but I would strictly limit them to the wants of Government. The growth of firewood for the community should be left entirely to private enterprise. When, either from scarcity of natural jungles or other causes, the price of timber rises sufficiently to render private plantations duly remunerative, capital will probably be readily vested in them. The interference of Government would be impolitic, and will only postpone the time when

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