700 XLVI. VERBENACEAE 



sized timber for the European market, and the vast teak forests of that province 

 constitute one of its greatest natural assets. Nevertheless even the poorer 

 classes of teak forest in the Indian Peninsula are of considerable value as sources 

 of local suj)ply in the shape of poles and timber for building and other purposes. 

 Teak has been planted in many localities outside its natural region. 

 Plantations on a small scale have been formed in the United Provinces, Bengal 

 (including Chittagong), Assam, Bihar and Orissa, Arakan, and the Andamans ; 

 a short account of some of these plantations is given below (pp. 733-4). 

 The tree is frequently planted in parks and gardens as far north as 8aharanpur. 

 Dehra Dun, and even Lahore, as well as in other places outside its natural 



region. 



Climate. Although teak occurs in dry localities, subject to great heat 

 and drought in the hot season, it thrives best and reaches its largest dimen- 

 sions in a fairly moist, warm, tropical climate, though in very moist tropical 

 regions it tends to be replaced by evergreen forest. It extends into regions of 

 slight frost, but throughout almost the whole of its distribution frost is un- 

 known. It occurs where the normal rainfall is 30 in. or even less, as in Khan- 

 desh, Ahmednagar, Nimar. Buldana, and West Kurnool, and is also found 

 where the rainfall is as much as 150-200 in., as on the west coast of India and 

 in Tenasserim. Actually it appears to thrive best with a normal rainfall 

 varying from 50 to 150 in. The most important teak areas of Burma are 

 situated in regions where the normal rainfall varies from 50 to 120 in. In the 

 Indian Peninsula it experiences in places absolute maximum shade tempera- 

 tures up to about 118 F., and absolute minimum shade temperatures down 

 to about 36 F., but these extremes denote a drier chmate than is favourable 

 to its development. In the moist parts of the west coast, where it reaches 

 larger dimensions than in the drier parts of its Indian peninsular region, the 

 climate is much more equable, the absolute maximum shade temperature 

 varying from 95 to 100 P., and the absolute minimum from 55 to 62 F. 

 In the more important teak areas of Burma the absolute maximum shade 

 temperature varies from 102 to 110 F., and the absolute minimum from 39 

 to 55 F. 



TopoGEAPHY, GEOLOGY, AND SOIL. The majority of the teak forests are 

 situated on hilly or undulating country, but there are considerable areas on 

 flat alluvial ground provided it is well drained, not only on plains of some 

 extent, but also on alluvial flats of limited size along the banks of rivers and 

 streams. On well -drained deep alluvial soil teak sometimes occurs remarkably 

 pure, and attains large dimensions. It also attains very good development on 

 the fertile lower slopes of hills where the soil is deep, but along dry ridges it 

 becomes stunted, as is also the case on shallow soil. Above all, the teak requires 

 good subsoil drainage, and will not endure stiff soil which is liable to inundation 

 or to water -logging. In the plains forests of Burma teak is sometimes confined 

 to the fringes of well-drained ground along the banks of watercourses, avoid- 

 ing tlie ground away from the streams where the drainage is not so good. 

 In the Nihimbur teak plantations of South Malabar, in which the stock has 

 been carefully classified according to quality, it is found that drainage exercises 

 a great influence on the quality. Here flat alluvial grouiid does not produce 

 first quaUty crops unless it is close to the main river, the growth deteriorating 



