460 XXIII. LEGUMINOSAE 



laneous species, often with an undergrowth of Dodonaea viscosa, Carissa 

 spinarum, Adlmtoda Vasica, Woodfordia floribunda, and other shrubs. It 

 extends into the lower limits of Pinus longifolia in some parts of the outer 

 Punjab hiUs. On poor dry localities at low elevations it is sometimes associated 

 with Salvadora oleoides and Capparis aphylla. The new leaves appear in 

 March : they are of a delicate green colour, but turn later to an ashy grey. 

 The spikes of fragrant white flowers appear from March to May, when the 

 trees are conspicuous with their masses of white tasselled blossoms. The pods 

 ripen in the autumn and hang long on the tree ; they are 2-3 in. long by 

 0-5 in. broad, flat, indehiscent, three- to five-seeded. The seeds, like those of 

 A. arabica, are subject to the attacks of weevils. The tree seeds freely at 

 frequent intervals, but occasional bad seed-years occur. 



The tree is a drought-resistant species. It coppices well, and is usually 

 worked as coppice-with-standards. The coppice-shoots as well as seedling 

 plants require protection from browsing, as they suffer much damage from 

 goats, sheep, and camels. Seedling reproduction is somewhat disappointing, 

 and in many localities grazing is largely the cause of this. The tree has been 

 raised artificially by direct sowings in afforestation operations in the outer hills. 



An attempt was made by Mr. A. M. Reuther during the preparation of 

 the Kalachitta working plan ^ to deduce the rate of growth by ring-countings 

 on stumps of trees selected and felled for the purpose. As the rings are not 

 always easy to distinguish he was unable to place absolute reUance on the 

 results, which must be taken as approximate only. From the recorded 

 measurements the following statement showing the approximate rate of growth 

 has been prepared : 



Acacia tnodesta : rate of growth in Kalachitta forest. 



Age. Mean height. Mean girth, 



years. ft. ft. in. 



10 6-0 5-7 



20 12-0 11-4 



30 15-0 1 5-0 



40 17-5 1 108 



50 19-7 2 4-6 



Parker says the growth is very slow, plantations made in the sub- 

 Himalayan tract having reached a height of 18-20 ft. in as many years, though 

 the girth was only about 1 ft. at the base. 



5. Acacia Senegal, Willd. Syn. A. rupestris, Stocks. Vern. Khor, Sind ; 

 Kumta, Kajputana. 



A small thorny deciduous tree, usually gnarled, ordinarily reaching 

 a height of 10-15 ft. and a girth of 1-2 ft. Bark smooth, pale greenish grey, 

 peeling off in flakes and exposing the yellowish new bark underneath ; branches 

 smooth, grey, shining, flexuose. The wood, which is hard with a nearly black 

 heartwood, is used for weavers' shuttles and for fuel, and the true gum-arabic 

 of commerce is obtained from wounds in the bark. In habit and appearance 

 the tree resembles A. modesta, but is readily distinguished by its smooth pale 

 bark, its infra-stipular spines in threes, and its larger pods. 



This is a tree of the arid regions of India, occurring on the dry rocky 

 hills of Sind, the south-east Punjab, the Aravalli, and the other hills of Raj- 

 1 Working Plan for the Kalachitta Forest, Rawalpindi Forest Division, 1897. 



