ECOLOGICAL STUDY OF DECCAN GRASSLAND. 85 



carrying away soil. A preliminary survey was made for the sake of 

 ascertaining the above-mentioned contours, and another, more accurate, 

 was made latter on, for a map. Approximately one-third of the whole 

 area, consisting of a strip in the middle 250 feet broad, running from 

 end to end of the area, was ploughed and harrowed in April 1920, and 

 in June seeded with the grasses mentioned in Appendix B. The idea 

 of this sowing was to see whether by seeding we could hasten the 

 production of good grass on the area, and the extirpation of the existing 

 poor grasses. In addition, three strips of land at right angles to this 

 seeded strip were sown with bajri (Pennisetum typhoideum). This 

 seed was broadcasted on the strips, and no cultivation was given 

 except that which had been already given for the other grass seeding. 

 Bajri is the natural crop of such poor land in the Deccan, and seeds 

 were put in as it was thought that the growth of the plant in succes- 

 sive years might give an indication of the improvement of the soil. 



Methods of Investigation. 



The vegetation was studied by — 



(1) marking out and charting quadrats in typical spots. 



(2) watching certain individual plants. 



(3j studying the plant societies of the area. 



The method of investigation by quadrats is now well known to 

 all ecological workers. To make our meaning clear, we venture, 

 however, to give a brief explanation of it. 



A quadrat is a square plot. It may be of any size, but is usually 

 one metre square. It is sub-divided into 100 decimetre squares. All 

 plants in the quadrat are plotted on to paper squared to represent the 

 lines marked on the soil. Ciements' method of laying out a quadrat 

 is by tapes. We have constructed a wire grid of a metre side with 

 cross wires at the decimetres. This grid when laid on the ground 

 marks out the quadrat at once. In tall vegetation this grid is apt to 

 be unhandy, but in low vegetation it is easily handled. 



Six quadrats were studied inside the area and two outside it for 

 comparison. Each was located in a different consocies, to use 

 Clements' term. The quadrats were permanently marked by driving 

 in pegs at the corners. Certain typical plants were transferred to the 

 Agricultural College and there planted for further study. 



General Observations. 



The rains broke on June 2. Appendix C gives an idea of the 

 season's rainfall. There was, as will be seen, a good preliminary fall, 

 a long break, another good fall, another break, and finally rain in time 

 to save the vegetation. On June 15, there was general greenness, and 



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