‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1919-20’ [‎281r] (109/192)

J 919 - 1920 .]
H ORTICULTUEE —FORE STS.
4.—Horticulture.
Public Gardens.
85 Chapter IV.
PRODUCTION
AND
DISTRIBUTION.
1, Ton public gardens, including the site of the band-stand at Chowpatti Bombay municipal
were maintained by the municipality. The number of visitors to the Victoria ga ’' ,iens -
Gardens rose from 1,558,334 to 2,027,387, showing an increase of 469,053.
Ninety-five band performances at the different band-stands were held against
74 in the previous year, the increase being due to the performances being
continued during the rainy season. The number of visitors on band days at
the Victoria Gardens when admission fees were charged rose from 10,147 to
13,261 and the receipts from Rs. 1,004 to Rs.. 1,384. New plants were’ added
to the collection as usual. Twenty-one animals were presented during the
year, 14 were born in the gardens, 131 were purchased and two were received
in exchange. There were 31 casualties. The municipal budget grant for
all the gardens was. Rs. 1,67,119, out of which Rs. 1,61,288 were expended,
the corresponding figures for the previous year being Rs. 1,38,923 and
Es. 1,32,001.
2. These gardens are maintained by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Empress and Bund
Western India. The unequal distribution of the rainfall was not favourable Gardens ’ PoDna -
for horticultural purposes and proved disastrous to the English vegetable
seedlings planted out in August and destroyed all sowings of the cold weather
annuals. Mango and other crops also suffered. Labour continued to be very
scarce, expensive and unsatisfactory. Owing to insufficient labour, little
replacement or improvement could be done. The income of the Empress
Gardens, including an opening balance of Rs. 11,444 and the amount of
Es. 2,059 recovered from the liquidators of the Deccan Bank, was Rs. 35,221, of
which Es. 11,470 were realized by the sale of plants, Rs. 9,107 by the sale’ of
seeds, Es. 5,394 by the sale of flowers, Rs. 1,552 by the sale of fruits and
Es.535 by the sale of vegetables. The expenditure, including the Bund Gardens
deficit, was Rs. 35,516. The closing balance was Rs. 11,149. The cost of
maintaining the Bund Gardens rose from Rs. 2,209 to Rs. 3,714, of which
Es. 2,649 were met from sale-proceeds and Rs. 100 were contributed by the
Poona Suburban Municipality. The deficit of Rs. 965 was paid from the
Empress Gardens funds.
5.—Forests.
Poc details see the Annual Report on Forests for 1919-20 and tables under Forests printed in Part IV (b)
of the Statistics of British India.
1.—Northern Circle.
1. The total area under forest rose slightly from 3,833 square miles 714 Area -
acres to 3,834 square miles 393 acres, of which 3,021 square miles 436 acres
were reserved forest and 812 square miles 597 acres protected forests.
2. The cost of repairs and annual colouring of the existing cairns Boundaries,
amounted to Bs. 2,194 against Rs. 1,981.
3. Two hundred and fifty-four coupes for the year 1920-21 and 84 for Working plans.
921-22, aggregating 22,204 acres, were laid out at a cost of Rs. 2,057.
4. Including the cases pending from last year, prosecutions increased Forest offences,
rom 228 to 271, of which 204 were decided, 196 resulted in convictions and 8
m acquittals. The percentage of convictions was 96. Cases compounded, '
deluding those pending from last year, were 4,603 against 5,163 and
yPensation recovered was Rs. 25,318 as against Rs. 24,763. In 799 cases
kgoTP 8 were no ^ detected. The number of cattle impounded fell from
59 ,845 to 46,452.
, a rea successfully protected from fire was 2,085,349 acres. The Forest fires.
s oi protection was Rs. 22,341 against Rs. 18,196 in the previous year.
ere Were ^27 fires covering an area of 57,626 acres as against 35,680 acres.
6 * Timber worth Rs. 6,170 was granted free. Free grants.
dq 0 ^ ex P er tditure on plantations and nurseries amounted to Rs. 23,359 Plantations.
'^ ,S, in the previous year.
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