'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1908-1909' [‎107r] (75/132)

HORTICULTURE—FORESTS.
jgoS-1909.]
41
, cl in Ahmedabad and Ndsik. In the latter ditsrict the large number of Government and
• works in progress contributed to the result. The rates of wages in Sind are in many
prlV ! nearly double those of the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. Proper, in spite of which fact the scarcity of labour
CaS< fc nues to embarass canal clearing operations.
Chap. IV.
PHODUCTION
AND
DISTRIBUTION*
3. Horticulture-
Public Gardens.
1. Nine public gardens were maintained as before by the Bombay Municipality. The Bombay Municipal
umber of visitors to the Victoria Gardens during the year was 20,60,343, an increase of hardens.
3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and the highest on record. A number of new plants were added to the collection.
2. The total expenditure upon both gardens was Rs. 21,352 and the cash receipts were The Empress an I
Bs . 22 , 155 , against Rs. 24,427 and Rs. 24,310 respectively last year. The monsoon rainfall Bund Gardens,
was good, and the absence of cold weather rains caused no ill effects. The income from flowers Poo:ia ‘
at the Empress Gardens was Rs. 3,836 against Rs. 4,440 last year; that from plants was
p g 8,662 against Rs. 8,354, and is expected to increase further when the suitability of the western
coast for mango grafting becomes more generally known. The income from fruits was
Rs 1,403, showing little variation, while that from vegetables fell by Rs. 55 to Rs. 327 owing to
the o-lutted state of the market. The Bund Gardens yielded an income of Rs. 732, including
the contribution of Rs. 100 from.the Suburban Municipality. The expenditure was Rs. 2,109,
the deficit of Rs. 1,376 being met by the Empress Gardens.
4. Forests.
1.— Northern Circle.
1. The area of Reserved Forest was increased by 306 acres. In the Surat Division an Area,
area of 338 acres of forest formerly classed as pasture reserves and administered by the Revenue
Department was handed back to the Forest Department in aceordanee with Government
Resolution No. 9765, dated 25th September 1908, Revenue Department. The area of protected
forest decreased by 87 acres. The leased forest area remained unaltered.
2. Outer boundaries aggregating 6 miles in length were cleared at a cost of Rs. 50. Boundaries.
Special boundary marks, such as cairns, stones, etc., were put up along boundaries extending to
158£ miles. Repairs were made to existing boundaries. The total cost under this head
amounted to Rs. 1,959.
3. The sanction of Government was accorded during the year to the revised Working Working Plans.
Plan for Kolaba and to the Working Plan for Mdndvi of the Surat Division respectively in -
Resolutions No. 7163, dated 15th July 1908. and No. 8999, dated the 3rd September 1908,
Revenue Department. Field work for the Dohad and Jhalod Working Plans was completed
and preliminary reports of the same were submitted by the Working Ians Officer. Coupes
numbering 346 with an area of 17,464 acres were laid out at a cost of Rs. 982 by the Working
Plans Surveyors.
4. Including arrears, prosecutions numbered 435, of which 98 were pending at the close Forest offences,
of the year. Of the 337 cases tried by Magistrates 28u resulted m conviction and 57 in
acquittal. The percentage of convictions was 83’0 against 89*2 in the year 907-1908. The
number of offences compounded was 2,345 and the amount recovered as compensation was
Rs. 5,653. The number of cattle impounded decreased from 16,459 to lb,039.
5. The area successfully protected from fire was 1,564,253 acres against 1,384,528 in Forest fires.
1907-1908 and the cost of fire protection was Rs. 22,064 against Rs. 21,573. The number of
fires was 512 and the area burnt was 46,192 acres.
6. The value of timber given in free grants decreased from Rs. 6,165 to Rs. 6,050. Free grants.
7. The progress of the experimental rubber plantations at Pelhar in Central Th£na Plantations and _
and Mulund in South Thdna was very satisfactory. A large number of teak and other plants natula ie P ro action,
were transplanted from nurseries in the forests of the several divisions. Natural reproduction
from stools and seedlings was fair; seeding of teak and injaili species was very poor. The
total expenditure incurred under this head was Rs. 8,709.
8 . A sum of Rs. 6,325 was spent on roads, Rs. 25,903 on buildings and Rs. 3,035 on Communications
other works. The total outlay under this head amounted to Rs. 35,263.
9. Receipts fell from Rs. 12,55,832 to Rs. 10,12,482, while expenditure rose from Financial results.
Rs. 4,64,238 to Rs. 4,85,944, leaving a net surplus of Rs. 5,26,538 against f^s. 7,91,594 last
year. The decline in receipts was due to smaller realizations from teak in malki lands of the
lhana District, the clearance of which has now nearly been completed.
2.—Central Circle.
, The Reserved Forest area of the Circle was reduced by 311 acres. The Leased Area,
mid Protected ,f Forest areas remained the same. The area of proposed forests notified under
b 1023—11