SAL (SHOREA ROBUSTA). 123 



:< The progress of regeneration that has once become established 

 depends entirely on the condition of light. The sal seems to be 

 at once an intense shade-bearer and a keen light-demander. For 

 reproduction will persist for many years under a complete over- 

 wood and a dense underwood and will respond to the admission of 

 light in an extraordinary manner. It will be invariably noticed 

 that the most vigorous regeneration occurs in blanks in the forest 

 or in areas in which the overwood is very thin. The development 

 of the uniform crop in the Jaulasal east block (Haldwani) indi- 

 cates the desirability of heavy fellings over reproduction and there 

 is similar evidence in Kheri, Bahraich, and Ramnagar divisions. 

 The progress of established regeneration seems to vary inversely 

 with the density of the overhead cover, and it is probable that 

 the overwood can hardly be felled too heavily in areas where 

 established seedlings are present in sufficient quantities and in 

 which frost and other forms of damage are not likely to be severe.. 



' The whole process of regeneration of a wood can therefore 

 be divided into three stages : 



(a) Regeneration may be obtained without any felling of the 



overwood or cleaning of the underwood. There is no 

 evidence to show whether the excellent regeneration 

 which occurs in areas which have been felled over 

 heavily in the past existed before the fellings or ensued 

 as a direct consequence of the felling. 



(b) On the appearance of seedlings some degree of light should 



be admitted by removal of a portion of the underwood 

 and overwood. It is very important that this admission 

 of light should be gradual, since it has been noticed that 

 seedlings which have germinated and spent their first 

 growing season in ahade tend to wither off too suddenly 

 exposed to sunlight. 48 



19 This opinion has jjnce been modified by research C. G. T. 



