TECTONA 709 



to 42 in. at Fraserpet, and the ghat forests, situated on the slopes of the Western 

 Ghats and in the tracts below, where the rainfall is probably as much as 300 in. 

 or more in places. The rock is chiefly gneiss, which is covered as a rule with 

 a considerable depth of soil ; laterite is found in places, but the teak avoids 

 pure laterite. The eastern forests may be roughly divided into two zones, the 

 dry eastern or teak zone and the western or moist zone. In the former teak 

 is plentiful, but in the drier parts to the east the forest is open and the growth 

 is poorer than it is farther west ; in the south-eastern forests the growth is 

 better. The western zone is characterized by a luxuriant growth of Bambusa 

 arundinacea ; the forest is well stocked with numerous tree species of good 

 growth, but teak is comparatively rare, though existing plantations indicate 

 that the locality is well suited to its growth. The ghat forests are mainly 

 evergreen, and are not teak-bearing. 



In Travancore teak grows at various elevations up to 3,000 ft., though at 

 the higher levels it does not thrive. It is found on sandstone, granite, and 

 limestone, as well as on alluvial ground along rivers. The best teak is found 

 on the lower slopes of hills up to 2,000 ft. elevation ; the Idiyera valley was 

 at one time celebrated for the size and quantity of its teak, but extensive 

 working, dating from 100 years ago or more, has depleted this and other 

 favourable localities. In Travancore, as elsewhere, teak grows in mixed 

 deciduous forests, its chief comjDanions being those noted above for south- 

 west India in general. The common bamboo is Bambusa arundinacea, while 

 in the Idiyera valley the teak is found growing a,mong thickets of the reed- 

 like bamboo, Ochlandra travancorica, Benth. In Travancore the teak grows 

 best where the rainfall is 100 in. or more. In the drier parts of the state, 

 particularly in the extreme south, it is of small size, but grows in fair quantity, 

 often forming the greater part of the growing stock. 



Among other teak localities in the Madras Presidency may be mentioned 

 Coimbatore (apart from the Anamalai hills) chiefly on gneiss, Tinnevelly on 

 granite and schist. South Cuddapah up to 3,900 ft , the Yerramalais of West 

 Kurnool, where the rainfall is only about 25 in., and teak occurs locally in 

 stunted form, chiefly on shale, and along the Godavari river. The Godavari 

 forests are situated partly on hilly and partly on level ground ; the soil is 

 fertile and is capable of producing fair-sized timber, but the forests have 

 suffered from past over-felhng and from shifting cultivation. The teak wood 

 from these forests is figured and ornamental, and is prized for furniture and 

 cabinet-making. Among the chief associates of the teak in the Godavari 

 forests are Terminalia tomentosa, T. Chebula, Xylia xylocarpa, Dalbergia lati- 

 folia, Pterocarpus Marsupium, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Adina cordifoUa, 

 Anogeissus latifolia, Soymida febrifuga, Chloroxylon Swietenia, Diospyros 

 Melanoxylon, and Cleistanthus collinus. 



Leaf-shedding, flowering, and fruiting. In dry situations and seasons 

 the leaves fall from November to January, while in moist localities the tree 

 may remain in leaf until March or even later. As a rule the trees are leafless 

 throughout the greater part of the hot season. The new leaves ordinarily 

 appear from April to June according to locality and season ; in wet seasons 

 they sprout early, while in abnormally dry seasons the trees remain leafless 

 longer than usual 



