Xll PREFACE. 



been changed into Mallotus philippinensis. Again, there can be no doubt as 

 to the tree designated by the name of Kdo, Kdu, although some botanists 

 call it Olea europcea, others Olea cuspidata, and others Olea ferruginea. 

 Kaddam and Haldu were formerly well known as Nauclea parvifolia 

 and cordifolia; now the forester has to learn the new generic names 

 Stephegyne and Adina. These changes of systematic names are not 

 arbitrary as a rule, they are dictated by the progress of scientific research ; 

 but they are apt to discourage the student and on that account, also, 

 vernacular names merit attention. All North Indian names have been 

 spelt according to the system of Sir William Jones, now adopted in 

 public documents, but with as few diacritical marks as possible. When 

 it seemed necessary to indicate a long vowel, this has been done, in 

 accordance with the practice of Forbes's Hindustani Dictionary, by a 

 horizontal line, thus a, e, %, u. Names which have acquired a fixity of 

 spelling in English, such as Teak, Toon, Sissoo, Neem, Hoom, Bamboo, 

 Peepul, Banyan, have not been interfered with. As a rule, North 

 Indian names only have been given ; but in a few instances Canarese, 

 Telugu, and Burmese names have been added, in order to facilitate the use 

 of the book in other provinces besides those for which it has mainly been 

 written. 



It may be useful to mention that trees which under ordinary circum- 

 stances do not exceed 20 ft. in height are termed small, while large trees 

 are those which exceed 50 ft., and moderate-sized trees those between these 

 limits. In indicating the rate of growth, the terms slow, moderate, and 

 rapid have occasionally been used. These comparative terms are intended 

 to relate to average conditions, for it is well known that the same kind 

 may be a rapid grower under certain circumstances, and a slow grower 

 under others. With this reservation, the following terms have been 

 adopted in this handbook : 



Growth slow : more than 1 2 rings per inch of radius ; age of a tree of 

 6 ft. girth, above 138 years. 



Growth moderate : 4-12 rings per inch of radius ; age of a tree of 6 ft. 

 girth, 46 to 138 years. 



Growth rapid : less than 4 rings per inch of radius ; age of a tree of 

 6 ft. girth, less than 46 years. 



Pure Forests are now commonly called those which consist entirely or 

 nearly of one kind of tree, in contradistinction to mixed forests, com- 

 posed of various kinds. The term leaf-bearing trees, though not literally 

 correct, is used, in contradistinction to coniferous trees, in the sense of the 

 French " Bois feuillus/' and the German " Laubholzer." 



Concerning the information given on the physical properties of the 

 different kinds of timber, it will suffice to state that the weight of a cubic 

 foot is always that of seasoned timber, unless otherwise stated. Of the 



