HARDWICKIA 351 



Shyam Sunder Lai/ writing of coppice coupes in Indore state, notes that stumps 

 of trees felled about 1 ft. from ground-level delayed sending out shoots for 

 several months, a second inspection revealing a larger percentage of success 

 than one made shortly after the felling. 



As regards actual statistics, experiments in North Khandesh in 1903 

 showed that 47 per cent, of felled trees yielded coppice-shoots, the number 

 being two to six shoots per stool and the average height in the first season 

 being 4 ft. The most complete statistics so far recorded, however, are those 

 published by Mr. L. S. Osmaston - giving measurements of 877 stumps in 

 fourteen coupes in West Khandesh. The measurements included stumps of 

 varying dimensions from under 2 ft. to over 6 ft. in girth, and of varying 

 heights from under 2 in. to over 12 in. from ground-level : they also embraced 

 coupes felled in years of deficient as well as of ample rainfall. 



These measurements gave the following results, which are somewhat 

 surprising : 



(1) The height of the stump had no relation to its vitality : actually the 

 percentage of live stumps of each girth class varied from 39 to 50 and 

 averaged 47. 



(2) Similarly the girth of the stump had no relation to its vitality : the 

 percentage of live stumps of each girth class varied from 41 to 49 and 

 averaged 47. 



(3) The rainfall had no effect on the vitality of the stump, the percentage 

 of live stumps being 53 in the case of years of most deficient rainfall and 54 in 

 the case of years of most ample rainfallv 



These results confirm the opinion generally held that coppice reproduction 

 cannot be relied on to a sufficient extent. 



Mr. H. W. Starte has recorded the result of an experiment in coppicing 

 10 acres of pure Hardwickia forest in North Khandesh. Out of 886 stumps 

 varying in girth from 12 to 70 in., cut flush with the ground, the number 

 which failed to coppice was 201, or 22-4 per cent. ; there was no relation 

 between girth and coppicing power. 



The tree reproduces from root- suckers. 



Natural reproduction. As already mentioned, the light winged pods 

 ripen in April and May and fall in the latter month, being often carried to 

 some distance from the trees ; in good seed-years they are plentifully scattered 

 over the ground. Germination takes place soon after, with the first heavy 

 .downpour of the monsoon, and seedlings may be found in quantity during 

 the rainy season. From October onwards, however, the seedlings die off in 

 large numbers, this mortality being due to drought : under favourable con- 

 ditions it may consist of dying back with subsequent recovery, but where the 

 seedlings have not had the advantage of protection from the hot sun they may 

 be permanently killed off in large quantities and the seed-crop may result in 

 complete failure. Assuming, however, that a certain number survive, their 

 establishment and further progress until they reach the sapling stage is a matter 

 of time owing to the annual process of dying back described above. A good 

 deal of evidence is available regarding the factors which assist or retard natural 



1 Ind. Forester, xxxvii (1911), p. 63. ^ iUfi^ xxxvi (1910), p. 356. 



