Tectona.} 



VEKBENACEJ3. 



287 



In 1878 Col. Beddome measured 10 trees in the plantation of 1844, the first five 

 outside, the remainder inside, trees of the plantation, in order to obtain information 

 regarding the ratio of decrease in passing from breast height to half height. The 

 results were that the outside trees shewed a decrease of 24 per cent., while the inside 

 trees shewed 18*5 per cent, only, a difference such as might have been expected. The 

 measurements of the trees cut for the Paris exhibition shew an average decrease of 20 

 per cent., which may be approximately taken. 



Up to 10 years of age, the growth in length of teak on alluvial soil at Nilambur 

 is at the rate of about 6 feet a year, and later on it is at the rate of only about 1 foot 

 a year. On page 358 of the Forest Flora of North-West and Central India, it is 

 stated that " it is probable that, as a rule, teak attains half its length with a girth of 

 2 3 feet." This assumption is borne out by the present figures. The trees grown 

 upon alluvial soil in girth between 25 and 34 inches are from 77 to 87 feet high ; and 

 from all that is known regarding the growth of Teak in similar localities, it is 

 probable that, unless damaged by storms, disease, insects, or other causes, they will 

 attain a height of 150 feet in soil of this description, and in the climate of Nilambur. 



From Burma, we have the following data. The figures from Pegu represent aver- 

 ages of plantations in the Rangoon, Toungoo and Tharrawaddi districts, brought 

 together on page 358 of the Forest Flora of North- West and Central India. 



The fourth line is the average of 150 trees in the Thinganneenoung plantation in 

 the Attaran district of Tenasserim, given in paragraph 146 of the report for 1876-77 

 of the Tenasserim forests. Major Seaton gives the average height at 30 40 feet, 

 but this probably means the height to the first branch. The maximum girth was 55^ 

 inches. The average rate of growth of the present plantations in Burma is somewhat 

 less rapid than that of the alluvial portion of Nilambur. The last line gives the 

 average of 15 trees measured in 1856 in a private garden at Moulmein. An instance 

 of extremely rapid growth was the tree already mentioned, a section of which was sent 

 from Port Blair for the Paris Exhibition, probably 6 years old (said to have been planted 

 in 1873, but 6 rings were counted), with a girth of 36 inches and a height of 44 feet. 



For the Lakvalli plantation in Mysore, the following data are given in Captain 

 VanSomeren's report for 1875-76. Age 1315 years, mean girth 14 inches, height 

 32 feet. This is a remarkably slow rate of growth, considering that the soil is good, 

 and the climate moist, though of course not so forcing as the climate of Nilambur. 



The plantations in the Central Provinces and Berar have given the following : 



Compared with Malabar and Burma, the rate of growth is slow, as may be expected in 

 a dry climate and near the northern limit of the tree. 



