12G 
Indiari Forest Records. 
[ VOL. II. 
to a permanent water supply. There are, as we know, great variations 
in the depth and composition of the soil, even in restricted areas. 
According as the seed has fallen on each class of soil will its ultimate 
survival depend. 
It is the soil, its depth, composition, the resistance it offers to the de- 
velopment of the tap-root, and, above all, the supply of moisture in the 
sub-soil level, which is primarily responsible for the survival or death of 
the seedling, and not grass roots which, we have shown, are easily pen' - 
trated by the powerful tap-root. 
{ii) Insufficient frotection against excessive evaporation . — Now since 
a certain amount of moisture, especially during the dry months of the 
year, is absolutely essential to the life of the seedling, it follows from the 
above that the seedling which can reduce its requirements to the lowest 
minimum will have the greatest chance of survival. 
The less a plant transpires through its leaves, the less moisture does 
it require to take up through its roots. The more, then, evaporation and 
transpiration can be reduced, the less moisture will the seedling require. 
The investigations carried out clearly showed that seedlings in long 
grass transpire less, and lose less moisture by evaporation, than those not 
so protected. Consequently such seedlings require relatively less water 
than similar seedlings in areas not clothed with grass, or from which the 
grass has been removed, and d fortiori have a greater chance of survival. 
We can carry this point further. The more the seedlings are exposed 
to the direct rays of the sun, and the scorching hot winds of the dry sea- 
son, the more will they transpire, and the m_ore moisture will they re 
quire. Consequently, if in addition to the protecting growth of grass, 
the seedlings also have overhead cover, we might expect it to act in a 
similar manner. And this is exactly what we have observed. Wher- 
ever the seedlings have been protected by a growdh of grass and overhead 
shade, they have survived in far greater numbers than those in free and 
exposed positions. 
We are of opinion, then, that the amount of shade and cover aftorded 
to the seedlings, in combination with the absolute quantity of water in 
the sub-soil, are the main factors affecting the survival or disappearance 
of any Anjan seeding. 
We will next endeavour to show how the above theory can be made 
to fully explain the present condition of our Anian forests. . 
