SANDALWOOD PLANTATIONS. 



from the stem, for if you cut them close into the stem, the 

 chances are that you have introduced rot into the stem, 

 and thus reduced the value of your wood by one-half, for 

 the Sandal tree is very subject to heartshake. The causes Causing heart- 

 are, the Sholagurs have a habit of cutting into the stem of 

 the tree to see how much heartwood it shows, deer rubbing 

 the bark and injuring the cambium, natives barking the 

 trees for the sake of its hot flavour, using it for chewing 

 with betel instead of lime. 



If yonr trees have been well planted without the roots Shade. 

 having been disturbed, the chances are they will not require 

 watering the second year, frequently it will be found advis- 

 able to use nurses to shade your young Sandal trees, and 1 jJJj^ ih .^|^ 

 draw them up, for the first year or two, peppers are good at apa rt shaded by 

 first, then for four or five years, acacias, or ceara, after which n 

 the nurses may be coppiced. Any fast growing tree serves. 

 There is another reason why sandal thrives with nurses, it is 

 semi-parasitical being next in natural order to Lorauths in its 

 habit, and the roots seem to grow best on other roots. Like Sandal roots para- 



si tic til 



the Orobanche the seeds of which will not grow unless their 

 roots can be attached to the roots of another plant. It is 

 not altogether shade that the sandal delights in of course, 

 annuals are of no use, fast growing acacias, &c., are best. The 

 tree is fit to cut from twenty-five to forty years of age. It is 

 not well to let it grow too old, or you may only have a hollow 

 centre, and but little heartwood. In some stony soils, like 

 Segoor, the sandal attains a thickness of no more than four 

 inches, and yet ten miles off on the slopes of the Neilgher- 

 ries, very large trees are found. The small trees generally 

 contain more oil, and are harder and denser than the large 

 ones. The heartwood of the smaller trees is very dark in 

 colour, sometimes approaching red, whilst that of the large 

 trees is from a deep to a light yellow. 



In felling Sandalwood it is usual to take up the trees by Cutting and fell- 

 the roots, as though Saudalwood does spring up from the lr 

 stumps, the second growth is inferior and it is cheaper to 

 replant, care must be taken to keep the billets in sheds, 



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