" The second section of the Forest Department has jurisdiction over forests properly so called. The parks* are meant for health, recreation, enjoyment, &C, and constitute the spending department pure and simple; whereas the forests, as we have seen in the previous section, are important sources of national wealth as well as Government revenue. Both these sections, however, are under the management and control of an officer, called the dr&rn&dhipati* or the Superintendent of Parks and Forests. The qualifications of the Forestofficer, according to Sukracharyya, should be a sound knowledge of agri-florihorti-culture. He is to "know the causes of the growth 6 and development of flowers and fruits, the methods of planting and curing trees by the administration of proper soil and water at the suitable time, and the various uses of plants

" The Forest-officer is called kupyddhyak$a in the Arthasdstra of Chanakya. 7 He (i) is in charge of the imperial hunting forest, (a) public hunting forest, and (3) has to perform a duty in connexion with the live-stock, viz., the capture, when needed, of birds and beasts that live in the forests under his

Sukra I, 661-42. 1 Sukra II, 88. ' Sukra II, 689-91. 4 Seo the description of Parks and Forests in Kamandaki, XIV, 27-42. Kdmandaka has devised the scheme of a regulated and restrained indulgence in Mrigaya or hunting and sportsmanship for the king, by purposely allowing the construction of such parks and forests. According to him, these are the necessary institutions of a state, and hence inevitable charges upon the public revenues, for otherwise the king may be tempted to undertake "wild goose chase H and indulge in excessive hunting which would thus degenerate into a vicious vyasaua. Sukra II, 240. Sukra II, 317-819. ' See in the Modern Review for August, 1911, the paper on the Department of Live* stock in Chandragupta's Administration by Narendranath Law. 22

Digitized by Google ( 170 ) The great assembly (Mahdsabhd) of the village, the unit of administration in the Chola Empire, was divided into several committeesone of which was elected for the supervision of gardens. The following extract from Mr. Aiyangar's Ancient India* gives an idea of " The the importance of flower-gardens in mediaeval Cbola life (800-1 100 A.D.): third published inscription records that a certain Pen an Adittan of the Chola country purchased two pieces of land, and made over both pieces to the villagers for maintaining a flower-garden. * * * Having received in full the purchasemoney and the revenue of the land and having exempted the flower-garden (and the land assigned) for the maintenance of the garden from taxes for as long as the moon and the sun exist, we the assembly engraved this on stone."