THE TEAK REGION. 213 



and, moreover, from their sterile nature, have probably 

 at no time produced any large quantity of timber. Even 

 in the higher and more secluded tracts, where forests 

 of teak yet remain, the causes already referred to have 

 now reduced the number of mature and well-grown 

 trees to a very small proportion of the whole, so small 

 that in few places are there more remaining than will 

 suffice to reproduce the forests by their seed in a period 

 of fifty to a hundred years. Everywhere the teak grows 

 very much in patches intermixed with other species, 

 the principal hardwoods of which in these forests are 

 the Saj [Pentapteixi), the Bijasal (Pterocarpus), the 

 Dhaora {Conocarpus), and in a few localities the Aujan 

 (Hardivickia) . Many other species have been observed, 

 of which a list will be found in an Appendix. 



The mature teak tree of Central India attains a 

 girth of from ten to fifteen feet, with a bole of seventy 

 or eighty feet to the head of branches. Perfect speci- 

 mens are, however, rare, the majority of such trees as 

 remain having suffered injury in the sapling stage from 

 fire or axe, so as to permanently contort their form. 

 The soft scaly bark, large flabby leaves, and generally 

 straggling and " seedy " habit of growth of the teak, 

 are certainly, I think, disappointing to those accustomed 

 to the trim firm aspect of other hardwood forests, and 

 particularly to such as have had the opportunity of 

 comparing it with the striking appearance of the ever- 

 green Sal forests of the more eastern regions. In the 

 rainy season the teak tree is surmounted by a heavy 

 head of large green leaves, supporting masses of yellowish 

 white flowers ; and when in considerable masses it then 

 gives a peculiar and not unpleasant character to the 

 scenery. The large umbrella-like leaves are admirably 



