NOTE ON GUMHAR. 9 



(viii) Bengal. 



Vernacular names. Garnbari, Gambhar (Hindi), Kamare (Nepalese), 

 Kusmar (Kol), Kasamar (Ho and Munda). 



Local distribution. In the lower hill forests of the Tista it is re- 

 ported to be fairly abundant, but is scarce in the adjoining mixed plains 

 forests and elsewhere in Bengal and Orissa, being very often classed 

 as rare. It ascends to 3,000 feet favouring shady ravines and attains 

 a height of 100 feet occasionally in such places in the Tista forests 

 where the exploitable size is 7 feet. In village lauds in Singh- 

 bhum trees of 9 feet in girth may be seen. Its greatest height is 100 

 feet with 60 feet of clear bole. In Orissa the exploitable size is five 

 or six feet, and trees above that are usually unsound. 



Extraction. When the timber is required trees are selected, usually 

 in conjunction with improvement fellings for sal, according to the 

 demand. Details of past extraction are of little value as very little has 

 been felled and only from the Tista forests can a regular annual outturn 

 be expected. It might amount to 60 trees, the local value of the timber 

 being 10 annas to ftl per cubic foot or R4? per 100 running feet of 

 inch planks. The timber can be delivered at Bagracote Railway station 

 on the Bengal Dooars Railway for 1 2 annas per cubic foot and at 

 Siliguri for 13 annas. Elsewhere in Bengal the wood sells for 8 annas 



O C3 



to R1-4- per cubic foot and the royalty is one or two annas per cubic foot. 



(ix) Southern India. 



Vernacular names. Summadi (Telegu), Kumisha or Pokki (Malyalam), 

 Kumili or Gumudu (Canarese), Kumbalam, Kumalamaram, Kumulu, 

 Kolla kattathekku (Tamil), Gombari (Uriya). Also called Gum 

 Teak. 



Local distribution. In Guntur and Nellore the tree is reported to be 

 absent, and it is nowhere plentiful in the Madras Presidency. In a few 

 of the forests in South Coimbatore and North Malabar it is found up to 

 a maximum of 4 per cent, of the growing stock, but this is exceptional, 

 and neither in numbers nor size does it assume an important position in 

 Madras. From Madura trees 6 feet in girth and 30 feet in height have 



