194 SYLVICULTURE IN THE TROPICS R . n 



the faculty of throwing out root-suckers. The subject 

 has not yet received all the attention that it deserves ; 

 but recent observations in India have revealed the fact 

 that a far greater number of species, among them Teak, 

 possesses this faculty than was hitherto suspected. 



These root-suckers possess several advantages over 

 stool-shoots. They are better for filling an area evenly, 

 for they come up singly, or in small groups along super- 

 ficial roots, 1 while stool-shoots arise in bunches on the 

 stool ; they are able to develop an independent root- 

 system, and not being close to the stool they run less 

 danger from foot-rot. Also, in some cases, as when the 

 parent tree is in the open and its roots exposed in places 

 to direct sunlight, root-suckers will spring up before the 

 parent tree is felled and derive nourishment from it. 



As a crop of root-suckers would be obtained largely 

 by the felling of parent trees, by which process direct 

 sunlight would be also brought to bear on the superficial 

 roots which show up on the surface of the soil, it is 

 evident that a coppice composed entirely of root-suckers 

 is hardly to be obtained, and that there will usually be 

 a fairly even mixture of stool-shoots and root-suckers. 

 The number of the latter can generally be materially 

 increased by grubbing up the soil and wounding the 

 superficial roots, wherever these come near the surface 

 of the soil. 



Stool -shoots and root- suckers are, at first, quicker 

 growing than seedlings, although they are not always 

 capable of attaining the same dimensions and the same 

 age, at least those which come from any but young 

 stools. For this reason, such a crop is generally raised 

 for the purpose of obtaining, in the shortest time 

 possible, wood of small dimensions for which there is 

 a demand, such as firewood, mine-props, scaffolding- or 

 telegraph-poles, wood for paper-pulp, etc. When the 

 shoots have arrived at the required dimensions, they arc 



1 An instance is given by Mr. G. M. Ryan, in vol. XXX. No. 10 of the 

 Indian Forester, of root-suckers of Albizzia Lebbek being found at a distance of 

 100 feet from the parent tree. 



