TECTONA 737 



subject the seed to alternate soaking in water for twenty-four hours and ch-ying 

 on the ground for four days, repeating this process for a fortnight : the seed 

 is then placed in a hole in the ground and kept moist until germination begins, 

 when the germinating seeds are removed daily and sown. Slight charring 

 has been found to stimulate germination, but this method is not to be recom- 

 mended, since the vitality of the seed is destroyed if the heat is too intense. 

 Mr. E. M. Hodgson ^ in Surat found that soaking for twenty -four hours in 

 lukewarm water prior to sowing invariably induced germination in twelve to 

 twenty -four hours. A method which is said to give good results in Bombay is 

 to fill a pit with alternate layers of seeds and earth 1 in. thick, cover it with 

 earth, and keep it well drenched with water for about a fortnight ; the seeds 

 and earth are then mixed well together and watered until germination begins. 

 A method tried with success in Ceylon is to spread the seed in a layer 4 in. 

 thick on a mat in the sun and keep it constantly watered ; germination starts 

 in about three days, and the germinating seeds are removed daily and sown 

 in the nursery. This method should be carried out only in fine weather, since 

 the seeds are apt to rot if kept too moist without being exposed to the sun. 

 In an experiment carried out by Mr. H. Tireman in Coorg in 1916 good results 

 were obtained by placing the seeds between gunny-bags in April and watering 

 them well ; germination commenced in 13 days, and ceased 26 days later. 



Covering of seed. The depth to which seed, whether sown in the nursery 

 or direct in the forest, should be covered with earth is a matter of some impor- 

 tance. A number of experiments which I carried out at Dehra Dun, in which 

 seed was covered to various depths up to 2 in., showed that the best results 

 are obtained by covering it to a depth of less than \ in. These experiments 

 were repeated several times, and the result obtained in each case was the 

 same. 



Nursery treatment and transplanting. Teak may be raised either by direct 

 sowing or by the transplanting of seedlings which are raised as a rule in the 

 nursery ; the former method is the more usual in Burma and the latter in 

 India, though direct sowings appear to have come more into vogue in India 

 within recent years. The methods of raising teak seedlings in the nursery 

 vary in detail Seedlings may be transplanted the year of sowing or may 

 be kept in the nursery for a year. In the former case any injury to the root 

 should be avoided, and small-sized seedlings should therefore be used, but in 

 the latter case the plants will stand pruning of the taproot, provided the stem 

 is also pruned down. 



The method which has been employed for raising most of the plantations 

 in the Nilambur valley is as follows : 



Seed-beds are formed near the area to be planted ; good free soil is 

 selected, dug to a depth of 3 ft. and broken into fine mould, after the removal 

 of weeds, roots, and stones. An edging 3-4 in. high is constructed round the 

 beds, which have a width of about 2| ft. between edgings. The seed is collected 

 in February from vigorous trees and sown about the 7th to 15th April ; before 

 being sown it is soaked for 48 hours in water. About 240 lb. of seed, sown 

 broadcast, suffice for 150 ft. length of bed. The seeds are covered with earth 

 to a depth of |-f in., and the beds are then covered with straw, a few leafless 



1 Ind. Forester, xxvi (1900), p. 279. 

 2307.2 D d 



