MIXED CROP OF UNIFOBM AOE. 51 



Isora, Mallotus ph/lippinensis, Zizyphiis, Mimosa rubicaulis, Indi- 

 goferas, Adhatoda Vas/ca, Nyctanthes Arbor-tristis, Slumea, Bud- 

 dleia, fyc., would simply choice up and drive out all better growth. 

 See also remarks under Condition VII of First Case. 



VIII. RELATIVE RAPIDITY OF GROWTH. The influence of this 

 cause will be different according as greater relative rapidity obtains 

 during the first years of the life of a tree or at a later age. Other 

 circumstances being equal, it is evident that species which grow up 

 quickly during their early years will prevail over others of slower 

 growth j and we know that stool-shoots and suckers tendf rapidly 

 to smother out any seedlings that may come up simultaneously 

 with them. In the habitat of the teak, bamboos everywhere, Butea 

 frondosa in Central India, and some other species, complete at least 

 half their growth before that valuable tree merely begins to start 

 upwards, the consequence being that, unless this last has a real start, 

 it is more or less completely driven out. In many sal forests, be-, 

 sides the bamboo, Tetrantheras push up rapidly and cover the 

 ground while the sal is only just establising itself. Among the 

 companions of deodar, the Pinus excelsa on some aspects shoots 

 rapidly away soon after it germinates, and leaves that tree far be- 

 hind in the race, It is owing mainly to the great rapidity with 

 which teak stool-shoo.ts grow up, that that species has so easily 

 held its own. in the coppice forests of the Sathpuras.and the/ West- 

 ern 'Ghats, which until very recently had for centuries been sub- 

 jected to the Dhaya system of cultivation (see page 24). On the 

 other hand, when growth becomes rapid only after the plants have 

 attained a certain age, its vigour in the case of the larger species, 

 provided of course that individuals possessing sufficient potential 

 latent energy have survived up to that age, is always so great that 

 nothing can withstand it. It is thus that when teak has survived 

 up to this stage, it overcomes most obstacles to. its growth ; and so 

 with sal, deodar,Pwr/s longifolta, Hardwckia binata., &c. 



Greater rapidty of upward extension is more decisive in the strug- 

 gle for existence than greater rapidity of lateral extension ; but, on 

 the other hand, lateral extension of the crown also means lateral 

 extension of the roots, and hence an individual of an extremely 

 shade-enduring species, which is in its phase of active lateral deve- 

 lopment, may easily maintain its ground against, and even over- 

 come, a rapidly elongating individual of a shade-avoiding species. 

 "When a plant or species enjoys at one and the same time more ra- 

 pid extension upwards and sideways, it possesses over all its rivals 

 an advantage which renders it invincible. Deciduous trees- 



