The Rewah sandstone is somewhat coarser, and generally presents a mixture of massive strata 

 and false-bedded flags. The Bhander sandstone is softer than that of the lower bands, very 

 fine-grained and generally distinguishable by its deep red or purple tint with white specks 

 and blotches. It is also frequently pale to white in colour, with or without red streaks, and 

 occasionally of a dull-greyish pink with darker streaks. The beds are generally thinner and 

 not more than 6 18 inches in thickness, but massive beds also occur. Ripple-marking is 

 common throughout the greater part of the Vindhyans, and occurs in great profusion and 

 variety in the Upper Bhanders. The Sirbu and Garurgarh shales do not present any 

 constant distinctive characters. Their sharply-bedded, flaggy, silicious or sandy, sometimes 

 micaceous, shales of greenish and rusty tints form the prevailing type throughout. The 

 Bhander limestone is the most variable rock of the series. Sometimes there is a considerable 

 thickness of firm stone, elsewhere there is very much less, the carbonate of lime being 

 apparently disseminated amongst the calcareous shales associated with the limestone and 

 partly taking its place. The limestone is generally earthy and compact with grey, yellow or 

 reddish tints ; sometimes purer, and either compact or crystalline. 



10. The soil derived from these rocks is shallow, stony and barren, and owing to the 

 general uniformity of the geological formation is practically identical throughout as regards 

 mineral composition and physical properties, being a loam in which sand is usually largely in 

 excess, save where modified by an admixture of disintegrated trap. Here and there pockets 

 of rich black soil are found and in the valleys and gorges small areas of alluvial deposits. 

 Hardly less important than the soil itself, however, as influencing the character of the forest 

 with respect to admixture of species and development of individual trees, is the nature of the 

 subsoil. Here as elsewhere, the Vindhyan beds lie little disturbed and the underlying rock 

 is generally found in enormous slabs and sheets which are almost horizontal. Drainage 

 conditions are therefore interfered with, and where this occurs, the admixture of species and 

 the growth of individual trees differs considerably from that found on slopes and undulating 

 ground, where the underlying rock is somewhat broken up and better drainage conditions 

 prevail. 



ARTICLE 4. Climate. 



11. A good general idea of the climate of the Division will be obtained from the fol- 

 lowing meteorological figures : 



Rainfall at nine Stations situated inside and just outside the Division. (Average of seven 



years from 1892 to 1899.) 



The average annual rainfall of the Division may thus be taken to be about 49 inches. 



Temperature (no data available for Damoh district). (Average of seven years from 



1892 to 1899.) 



For the Division itself a mean between the above figures may be assumed. 



