130 Forestry Quarterly 



For some time, the death and dying back 

 Improving Natural of sal {Shorea robusta) seedlings has pre- 



Reproduction of sented a silvicultural problem to Indian 

 Sal Seedlings Forest officers. Under the direction of the 

 Forest Botanist, R. H. Hole has conducted 

 a study of the damage in the neighborhood of Dehra Dun. Mr. 

 Hole found that the injury by porcupine, deer, insects and fungi 

 were factors of minor importance ; that while frost "undoubtedly 

 does great damage in open grass lands," it is a minor factor to 

 the damage in the forests themselves. The most serious factors 

 are poor soil aeration, especially during July and August, and 

 drought, which is particularly destructive during the months of 

 September to June, inclusive. Drought, however, is a natural 

 phenomenon which cannot be corrected. The chief facts ascer- 

 tained regarding bad soil aeration are : 



(1) Too high a percentage of water coupled with a small vol- 

 ume of air space may injure up to 100 per cent of sal seedlings. 

 (2) This damage is chiefly confined to shady areas and does not 

 affect seedlings growing in the open. (3) The damage depends 

 chiefly on the presence of organic matter, "especially dead sal 

 leaves." (4 to 8) The damage is inoperative on well drained sand, 

 and is greatly decreased if the ground is clear of dead sal leaves. 

 The damage is not co-related with the deficiency of plant food and 

 apparently "under the impact of heavy rains which interfere with 

 the access of air and water into the soil, the damage is especially 

 serious." Mr. Hole points out that ideal conditions for the devel- 

 opment of sal seedlings are: (1) "A well aerated seed bed free 

 from raw humus; (2) full overhead light; (3) light side shade 

 sufficient to prevent damage from frost and to keep the soil as 

 moist as possible during the season of short rainfall." 



To produce these favorable conditions, "clear felling in strips 

 or patches, combined with artificial sowing and seeding during 

 the first rains" is recommended. Under present conditions, clear 

 felling in narrow strips and small patches seems entirely practi- 

 cable. "The experiments carried out, however, indicate an alterna- 

 tive method of aiding the establishment of reproduction, viz., by 

 the continued removal of humus and dead leaves by leaf fires or 

 other means." No final conclusions, however, can be authorita- 

 tively given until the different systems have been tested out on a 

 considerable scale. 



