Production. 



Relations of 

 Grassland to 

 Woodland. 



73 INDIAN FOREST MEMOIRS. 



utility as 56. This plant is as a rule not much utilised 



tertifcS. for fodder and cattle only eat the young and immature leaves. Grasslands required for 

 FoTd'er 01 grazing should be fired so that the young leaves may become available in the hot season. 



57. On areas where this grass is dominant 

 the soil and moisture conditions are as a rule only suitable for dry miscellaneous forest, as 

 a fair representative of which we may take the woodlands of khair, A cacia Catechu. The 

 latter has been seen to obtain a footing and effectually oust S. Munja from areas where the 

 latter had first occupied the ground and become the dominant species. 



A plant which frequently occurs with this grass is Zizyphus Jujuba and on areas 

 which are regularly fired and heavily grazed throughout the year, the latter tends to become 

 dominant. In such areas the Saccharum, is unable to develop, the young shoots being 

 grazed down by the cattle with the exception of the few culms which are able to develop 

 under the protection of the Zizyphus. The latter however is able to persist although the 

 repeated grazing and fire damage prevents the plant becoming more than a shrub. The 

 seed of the Zizyphus is largely distributed by jackals and Mr. P. H. Clutterbuck has 

 pointed out that the latter tend to frequent grazing areas, they being followers of the 

 larger beasts of prey and also attracted by the carcases of cattle which happen to die, and 

 this circumstance probably favours the rapid extension of the Zizyphus in such areas. 



D. — Economic Uses. 



58. This species is of great commercial value 

 and is probably most widely known on account of the valuable fibre (called munj) extracted 

 from the upper leaf-sheaths of the flowering culm, which is used for cordage, mats, etc, 

 For this purpose, as a rule, only the two uppermost leaves of the culm are utilised, as these 

 have the longest sheaths. In an average culm measuring 17' 3", the topmost sheath 

 measured 3' 10", the next below was 2' 11" and the next 2' 1" which indicates how the length 

 of the lower sheaths diminishes. 



Watt writes as follows regarding this fibre : — -" The much prized munj is strong, 

 elastic and has a wonderful power of enduring moisture without decaying. It is exten- 

 sively employed in the manufacture of cordage, ropes, the famed Delhi mats, and in the 

 preparation of baskets, etc. Munj mats * * are largely produced in Allahabad, Agra, 

 Delhi, and are traded in all over India, and within recent years have begun to find their 

 way to Europe." 1 



The thin upper portion of the flowering culm is locally called sir hi and is used for 

 making winnowing trays, cart-covers, etc. The thick lower portion of the culm is locally 

 called bind and is used in place of split bamboos for making screens (tatties) and in 

 thatching. 



1 Commercial Prcducts of Ir.dia by Sir George Watt, K08, p. 930." 



['78 ] 



