HOLE : SOME INDIAN GRASSES AND THEIR ECOLOGY. 77 



factors may for instance consist in the presence of large rocks in the soil, the proximity of 

 other plants of the same or other species, the hardening of the soil around the clumps by 

 heavy grazing and trampling of cattle and the destruction of the young culms developed 

 from the external rhizome branches by the trampling or browsing of cattle. It is probable 

 that in all such cases of congestion temporary relief would be secured by firing, but this 

 would be of no permanent utility. 



It is obvious that a clump which has been well burnt one year would be cleared of 

 debris and would probably have most of the one year culms also destroyed. Next year 

 therefore we should expect the clump to consist chiefly of immature leafy culms and the 

 only inflammable material in the clump would consist of the old leaves at the base of these 

 calms, while there would be a quantity of green leaves. Such a clump therefore would not 

 burn well and it is a frequent experience in burnt areas that a year in which the clumps 

 burn well is followed by one in which they burn with difficulty. The greater the accumu- 

 lation of dry flowering culms the more injurious the fire is likely to be and it is probable 

 that on fire lines the plants would be most injured and weakened if they were cut over for 

 thatching grass every third year. The second year after such cutting there would ordinar- 

 ily be twice the usual number of dead flowering culms in the clumps. 



55. The above remarks on fire damage as 

 regards this species may be summarised as below : — 



(a) Fire damage results chiefly in the destruction of the one year culms and in 



diminishing the production of the commercial munj fibre. It is however 

 often sufficiently severe to damage the rhizome branches and may thus kill 

 the plants entirely. 



(b) The damage done is undoubtedly most severe on sandy soil and on loam the 



damage done by an early fire is as a rule insignificant. 

 (<?) The later in the season the fire occurs the more severe the damage, owing to the 

 greater dryness of the dead leaves and debris in the clump. 



(d) Area^ required for the production of munj should be carefully protected from 



fire especially if on sandy soil, and also from damage to the leaves by grass- 

 cutting, grazing or otherwise. 



(e) Areas worked for thatching grass should be kept distinct from those required 



for munj. 



In such areas the grass should be cut annually to diminish as far as possible 

 the production of flowering culms and if heavy flowering does occasionally 

 occur the clumps should be burnt early in the season. The soil around the 

 clumps should be kept loose to allow of the free growth outwards of the 

 rhizome and to prevent the young culms and ends of the rhizome branches 

 being situated close to the inflammable material inside the clump. 1 



1 The mode of development of the clumps and culms and the occurrence of congested growth in this and other closely allied species 

 of Saccharum and Erianthus have many points in common with what is seen to obtain in tufted species of Bamboo, as will be seen by a 

 reference to a most interesting paper by Mr. W. H. Lovcgrove on De idrocala nus st.-ictw: in the India t Forester, Volume XXVI, 

 p. 433. 



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