774 XLVI. VERBENACEAE 



and for the first year or two clean weeding with sUght loosening of the soil 

 stimulates gro^iih where this is a matter of importance, as in dry localities ; 

 after the first year or two all that is necessary is to free the plants from over- 

 head cover. During the first rainy season it is advisable to pull up duplicate 

 seedlings and plant them to fill up gaps ; the pulling up of the surplus seedlings 

 may be done in the ensuing dry season, but it will then be impossible to utilize 

 them for filling gaps. Thinnings to relieve congestion in the lines should 

 commence about the third year if necessary, the strongest and best-shaped 

 plants being retained and the weakly and badly shaped ones removed ; this 

 operation is responded to by better growth. 



As regards the location of plantations, it cannot be emphasized too strongly 

 that plantations of Gmelina arborea can never pay unless rapid growth and 

 fairly large dimensions are ensured. Plantations of this species therefore 

 should never be made except on fertile soil in a climate at least moderately 

 damp. Poor dry or shallow soil as well as badly drained clayey ground should 

 be carefully avoided, as the plants will always remain stunted. Plantations 

 formed in the dry climate of the Panch Mahals in Bombay, on dry somewhat 

 sandy soil, have proved a complete failure, the plants remaining stunted or 

 dying out altogether. On fertile loam in a fairly moist climate, however, 

 plantations of this species, if properly formed and carefully tended, should 

 be a source of considerable proj&t, as the wood cannot fail to command a good 

 sale if placed on the market in regular annual quantities. 



Mr. C. G. E. Dawkins ^ has described some successful experiments in raising 

 plantations of Gmelina arborea in the Katha district of Upper Burma. He notes 

 that for transplanting purposes the seed should be sown in the nursery by the 

 middle of May at the latest, and the seedlings should be transplanted when 

 9 in. to 1 ft. in height, those which have grown too large being discarded. 

 For transplanting in the cold season the seed should be sown in the nursery in 

 September, and the seedlings should be transplanted in the end of October or 

 the beginning of November, only the strongest plants being used. The great 

 advantage of planting during the cold season, which gave 90 per cent, of success, 

 is that the growth of grass is less luxuriant than during the rainy season, and 

 the seedlings have the advantage of a good start. A successful plantation 

 was formed in 1916 on a flat area with a strong growth of grass. This area 

 was cleared in February, burnt in April, planted 6 ft. by 6 ft. about the 

 end of May, and weeded once the following rainy season ; by November 

 the plants were 4 to 5 ft. in height. Next rainy season the plantation was 

 weeded once in July, after which no further weeding was found necessary, 

 owing to the fact that the crowns had closed up and suppressed the grass. 

 In 1918 the plantation was thinned heavily, and in January 1919 the remain- 

 ing stems had an average girth of 11 in., the largest tree having a girth of 20 in. 

 and a height of 36| ft. ; there was marked dying off of side branches. An 

 experimental taungya plantation also proved highly successful, the field crop 

 employed being hill rice ; it was found advisable, however, to sow the Gmelina 

 seeds late in order to prevent the rice from becoming suppressed. 



These experiments included also direct soAving, good results being obtained 

 both by dibbling and by broadcast sowing. Seed dibbled 6 ft. by 6 ft. in the 



Ind. Forester, xlv (1919), p. 505. 



