122 INDIAN FOREST MEMOIRS. 



rains cannot be checked by grazing, the grass should be cut close to the ground in the cold 

 season, as this will to a great extent have the same effect as fire, although of course it is a 

 more expensive treatment. 



Triraphis and Aristida are believed to be little used for fodder, but the young shoots 

 would probably be of value during the period February to June and the removal of the old 

 flowering culms by fire, or cutting, in the cold season would be advisable where possible. 



As regards grasslands where valuable fodder-grasses are already the dominant species 

 it is obviously advisable, as a rule, to let well alone and not to run the risk of 'favouring the 

 introduction or extension of less valuable kinds by firing. On sandy soil where Andro- 

 pogon monticola is already dominant firing may to some extent directly injure that species 

 and may result in bringing in less desirable xerophilous species of Andropogon, Eragrostis 

 and others. On loam where species like Andropogon annulatus, Andropogon intermedins, 

 Andropogon foveolatus, Iseilema, and others are dominant, firing very frequently results 

 in increasing the proportion of Andropogon contortus and it is clearly a question for local 

 officers to decide, in the light of local prejudice and demand, whether or not this is desir- 

 able. 



On grasslands where valuable perennial species like Andropogon monticola are already 

 dominant, it is clear that the best treatment to apply, in order to obtain the maximum of 

 good fodder with a minimum of damage to the plants, consists in protecting the areas from 

 fire and grazing and in cutting the grass when flowering is just commencing. Grass so cut 

 should be made into hay, or silage, and the cattle stall-fed. Heavy grazing not only directly 

 weakens the plants by continually depriving the growing culms of their green leaves more 

 or less completely, but considerable damage is done by the treading of cattle in the way of 

 destroying young shoots and also by treading down the soil around the plants, and thus 

 checking their outward growth. In sandy soil the rhizome-branches are often found to be 

 exposed above the ground surface on account of this injurious action and in loam the soil 

 becomes injuriously hardened and compacted. 



B. — Treatment with a mew to Afforestation, 



100. As regards the question of afforestation, 

 the local grasslands must first be divided into — 



(1) Those in which the vigorous growth of most woody plants is made impossible by 



frost, the latter being in this case the factor of dominant importance. 



(2) Those where the frost damage is not severe and where woody plants can establish 



themselves. 



As examples of the first we may take the areas locally known as Zabarkhet in Lachi- 

 wala Range, Gola Tappar in Tirsal Range (see Plate XL) and Koilpura Tappar in Ganges 

 Range. 



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