Forest Composition. 387 



to the large variety of timber trees there is a multi- 

 tude of shrubs, twining and climbing plants, and in 

 many forest districts also a growth of giant grasses 

 (bamboos), attaining a height of 30 to 120 feet, which 

 is ready to take possession of clearings. These bam- 

 boos, valuable as they are in many ways, prevent 

 often for years the growth of any seedling trees, and 

 thus form a serious obstacle to the regeneration of 

 valuable timber. The growth of timber is generally 

 quite rapid, although to attain commercial size, Teak 

 requires usually a rotation of 150 years. But in spite 

 of their rapid growth and the large areas now in forest 

 capable of reforestation, India is not likely at least 

 within reasonable time to raise more timber than it 

 needs. In most parts of India, the use of ordinary 

 soft woods, such as pine, seems very restricted, for 

 only durable woods, those resisting both fungi and 

 insects (of which the white ants are specially destruc- 

 tive), can be employed in the more permanent struc- 

 tures, and are therefore acceptable in all Indian 

 markets. 



At present, Teak is the most important hardwood 

 timber, while the Deodar (a true cedar) is the most 

 extensively used conifer. Teak occurs in all moist 

 regions of India except the Himalayas, grows usually 

 mixed with other kinds, single, or in clumps, is girdled 

 two or three years before felling, is generally logged 

 in a primitive way, commonly hewn in the woods and 

 shipped usually floated as timber, round or hewn, 

 and rarely sawn to size. 



In 1905-6, the cut in the State forest area was 

 240,000,000 cubic feet, timber (25%) and fuel, of 



13a 



