36 DTTEEOCAUPE^. [ Shored. 



On an average the number of rings per inch of radius is 10, and it will be noticed 

 that the annual increments are exceedingly uniform. A tree grows : 



np to 18 inches girth (wood only) in 30 years. 

 from 18 to 36 in 26 



36 to 54 in 27 



54 to 72 in 29 



In the Oudh forests a different result has been obtained. When the first proposals 

 were made in 1863 to regulate the working of the forests of the Kheri division, the 

 following was assumed as the mean rate of growth : 



Girth 18 inches, age 15 years. 

 64 50 

 72 80 



Subsequent data seeming to indicate a somewhat slower rate, it was estimated in 

 1868, in order to settle the number of trees to be cut over in 1868 and 1869, that a 

 girth of 54 inches would be attained in 65 years, and a girth of 72 inches in 95 

 years. 



In September 1869, Mr. Forrest examined 50 logs cut in the Newal Khar sub- 

 division of the Kheri forests ; these logs had a mean girth of 5 feet 3 inches and gave 

 on an average 4'79 rings per inch of radius. Again in 1877 a sal tree about 16 or 17 

 years old was examined by Captain Wood, and at 1 foot from the base, where the girth 

 was 1 foot 10 inches, it was found that an inch of radius contained 4'80 rings. 

 Thus, supposing we take 5 rings to the inch as indicating the average rate of growth, 

 the trees examined in Oudh would have attained a girth of 6 feet in 57 years, which, 

 it will be seen, is about one-half the time which the trees examined by Mr. Fisher in 

 the Duars required to attain the same size. 



In the Central Provinces the counting of rings has given a mean between Bengal 

 and Oudh. In 1867, Captain Douglas examined 13 stumps in the Bijeragogarh 

 forests ; their mean girth at 17 inches from the ground was 5 feet 3 inches, and the 

 average number of rings per inch of radius was 6'5. In 1874 Mr. Fernandez examined 

 a single stump in the same forests, and 7*2 rings were counted per inch of radius. 

 The mean of the results of these countings is 6'85 rings per inch, which would place 

 the age of a tree 6 feet in girth at 78 years. Subsequent observations in the Ban jar 

 Valley forest, Mandla district, give a mean of 5 to 8 rings per inch and tend to 

 confirm this rate of growth. 



The following cultivated trees of known age were measured by Mr. Brandis 

 in 1863 ; 



Saharanpur, and Eastern Jumna Canal 13 years, girth 27 inches (average of 33 trees). 

 > j> > "0 ,, ,, o4?5 

 35 79| 

 Calcutta 25 ,,69 ' (one tree). 



The weight of a cubic foot of seasoned wood is generally found to vary between 

 50and601bs. The average of the experiments recorded below is 59 Ibs., but while 

 Baker's experiments (85) give an average- of 61'61bs., Brandis' experiments (114) give 

 (,111V 5'J-O Ibs. as the averse. The average of the 13 specimens weighed in 1878, 

 Omitting the hist, is 59 Ibs., but this includes unseasoned or only partially seasoned wood ; 

 the average wight, of the (ijirliwal (() 204) and Mandla (C 17 8) specimens, whieh wcro 

 thoroughly seasoned, ia 6J Ihs. CliHord gives f>5lhs. as the weight of s;il \vhen jiert'eetly 

 dry ; 54 to 55 IUB. may therefore be considered as the average weight of seasoiud sal. 



The transverse strength has been tested hy numerous experiments. The value of 

 P as determined by Brandis Baker and others, ranges from (5-1S to W.I the mean 

 value being 790. The- following abstract shews the roults of all the best experiments 

 on this timber. 



