322 SUPPLEMENT TO THE HONGKONG GOVT GAZETTE OF 17TH APR., 1886.
off the leaves and branches of the plants. They appear to attach some importance to the plant as a medicine, and despite the vigilance of the Forest Guards, they succeed in keeping the plants in an almost leafless condition. Even in the Botanic Garden, where the plants are protected by iron tree-guards and wire netting, they have killed several plants by persistently defoliating them and wrenching off the branches.
32. 10,000 young Camphor trees were raised during the season in Kowloon nursery, and will be planted out as soon as the weather is suitable.
33. Preparations were made in the nursery at Sòkonpò for raising a similar quantity of Camphors next summer, but Camphor seeds are very scarce this year, and the price has risen four hundred per cent. I have therefore decided to sow the ground with Pine seeds instead.
34. Upwards of one thousand young trees have this year been destroyed by grass fires. not been able in any of the cases to ascertain the cause of the fires.
We have
35. The Forest Guards made wenty-two arrests during the year; twenty of the offenders were fined or sentenced by the Magistrates to terms of imprisonment. The fines varied from five dollars tc fifty cents and the terms of imprisonment from three days to three weeks.
36. The number of arrests is very inconsiderable in proportion to the actual damage done to the plantations. The Forest Guards have frequently complained of being intimidated by bands of wood- cutters. The villagers at Aberdeen are notorious for their wood stealing propensities and the Forest Guards dread having to enforce their authority in that quarter. A few months ago one of the guards while trying to arrest three men who were stealing trees from the enclosed plantation at Aberdeen, was attacked and severely cut about the hands with a knife. The men escaped.
The area of planted land is yearly becoming more extensive, and the trees, as they increase in size, are becoming more valuable, and consequently more liable to be stolen. If wood stealing is not already a profession in the Colony it is likely to become one. This consideration points to the advisableness of repressing the destroyers of our incipient forests with a strong hand. A coolie who is fined a small sum for having cut down a bundle of sinall trees has no reason to consider himself harshly dealt with. He may have been cutting trees with impunity for six months, and in this case he will probably have philosophy enough to look upon the fine as a kind of tax, and simply return to his wood- cutting vocation with a resolution to be more careful in avoiding the Forest Guards in future.
But the loss to the Government will not be compensated by a trifling fine, if the Colony has been ruthlessly deprived of what might have become valuable forest trees at some future date.
Considering the extent of the ground now planted, and the difficulty of walking over it, it is not surprising that two Forest Guards find it difficult to repress tree cutting. Both the men are Chinese and are consequently more likely to be intimidated, or induced to connive at an offence which it is their duty to repress than, for instance, Indian watchmen.
If it is agreed that the plantations should be more effectively protected, I think it would be well to increase the number of Forest Guards, and endeavour, as far as possible, to modify the danger of the men being improperly influenced in the discharge of their duty by employing Indians instead of Chinese as Forest Guards.
37. The planting operations for the year are tabulated as follow :-
Pinus sinensis, Aleurites vernicia,.
Bamboos,.
2
TREES PLANTED.
.$342,302
40
30
Bischoffia javanica,
·
1,069
Camphor trees,
Cedrela Tuna,..
australis,
Cork Oaks,
Eucalyptus, 14 species,
Ficus retusa,
847
55
··21
190
16,408
4
Melia Azedarach,
Jambosa vulgaris,
SOWN IN SITES.
2,354
18
Pinus sinensis, Aleurites vernicia,.
204,838 5,000
TOTAL,......... 573,176
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
The Honourable THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY.
&c.,
&c.,
A. B. WESTLAND, Acting Superintendent Botanical and Afforestation Department.
&c.
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