THE INDIAN FOREST MEMOIRS 



VOL. I] 19 n. [PARTI 



Some Indian Forest Grasses and their Oecology. 



By R. S. HOLE, F.C.H., F.L.S., F.E.S., 



Imperial ForestServiee 

 Botanist at the Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India. 



INTRODUCTION. 



1. Indian Forest Grasses are of considerable importance 

 importance on account of the value of the economic products yielded by particular species. gISSis 

 Thus a considerable revenue is realised from the sale of such species as the Bhabar grass 

 (Ischcemum angusti folium, a valuable paper material), Rusa Oil Grass (Cymbopogon 

 Martini, the source of the valuable Palmarosa or Rusa perfumery oil), Munj (Saccharum 

 Munja which yields a valuable textile fibre and also a paper material) and others. This 

 revenue will undoubtedly increase in the future as new industries arise and as the economic 

 value of the various species becomes better and more widely known. 



On the whole, however, there is no doubt that the primary importance of our forest 

 grasslands depends on two facts : 



(a) Their great value as grazing grounds and fodder yielding areas. 



(b) The fact that where grass is of comparatively little value, these grasslands occupy 



large areas which might produce valuable forest and which it is therefore 

 desirable to afforest. 



2. As regards the value of our grasslands to raiue for 

 the people of India for grazing purposes the following figures will indicate their enormous Grazing?™ 

 importance. These figures show the average forest area in India and Burma which has 

 been anDually open for grazing and the average annual number of buffaloes, cows, bullocks, 



