HARDWICKIA 353 



(at any rate they appear to me to be similar). In the portions of the reserve 

 closed to grazing, and consequently covered with a dense crop of grass, anjan 

 seedlings were completely absent, except just along roadsides, whereas in 

 Survey Numbers 1, 2, 3, and 6 of Chinchkher, which were open to heavy 

 grazing and, being situated close to a public road, were much resorted to by 

 cattle and as a result absolutely clean grazed, thousands of seedlings have 

 sprung up and stand out uninjured and perfectly healthy. The above appears 

 to prove conclusively that a dense growth of grass is inimical to the successful 

 reproduction of anjan. The seedlings observed in those Survey Numbers 

 have survived the past two hot weathers and escaped injury from cattle during 

 the same period, when in the absence of other fodder cattle might have been 

 expected to browse them off ; grazing throughout the year must obviously be 



looked upon as a distinct advantage, in fact a real necessity.' 

 

 In addition the Dehra Dun experiments described under ' the seedling ' 



above afford conclusive proof that where the rankness of the grass is sufficient 



heavy mortality may be caused through the damping off of seedlings during 



the rains : it should be remembered, however, that these possibly represent 



an extreme case of moisture seldom, if ever, met with in the natural habitat 



of the tree. 



So far as the evidence goes, it may thus be concluded that whereas 

 a soil-covering of grass as a protection against the heat of the sun may be an 

 invaluable factor in the establishment of natural reproduction, under certain 

 conditions it may become noxious, preventing the germination of seed and 

 the establishment of seedlings owing to its rank growth ; the precise con- 

 ditions under which its influence is beneficial or the reverse have not yet 

 been determined. 



2. Fire and grazing. The direct effects of fire and grazing are, with good 

 reason, generally held to be highly prejudicial to natural reproduction, for 

 although the power of recovery of the seedling from injury from these causes 

 is higher than that of many other species, great damage is suffered in unpro- 

 tected areas, and reproduction is much retarded. Much evidence has been 

 recorded in proof of this, and it will suffice to quote only a few instances. 

 Mr. G. S. Hart ^ notes regarding Nimar : ' At present the number of Anjan 

 seed-bearers in these forests is often small, but the natural regeneration oi 

 this species in all closed areas is excellent and is not confined, as in the Buldana 

 district, to small seedlings, the majority of which cannot be considered as 

 established.' Of the same forests Mr. C. F. BeU ^ writes : ' The hot weather 

 kills out a large percentage of seedlings and over-grazing in the open coupes 

 and grazing blocks completes the destruction, fn coupes worked over and 

 then closed to grazing for ten years, however, a fair number of seedlings have 

 established themselves, and the future prospects of the crop are promising.' 

 Again, Talbot^ states: 'Owing to sheep and cattle grazing, reproduction by 

 seedlings over large areas in Khandesh and Nasik is much impeded. Multi- 

 plication of the species by root-suckers is, however, general and there appears 

 little danger of the valuable Anjan disappearing from any of the areas of its 

 distribution.' Finally, Mr. J. Tapp ^ writes regarding West Kurnool : ' Natural 



^ Inspection Kote on the Nimar Forest Division, 1911. 



^ Working Plan for the Reserved Forests of the Xiniar District, Central Provinces, 1913. 



^ Forest Flora of the Bombay Presidency and Sind, i. 457. 



^ Working Plan for the Yerramalais, West Kurnool, 1913. 



2307.2 Q 



