163 
Part IV,] Rama Rao : Host Plants of the Sandal Tree. 
tliougli regularly watered, alter showing signs of recovery for 
several months. Two of the seedlings lingered on for seven months 
after transplantation and then died. Whereas among seedlings 
raised with host-plants in tile-pots and transplanted with the latter, 
a laige percentage established themselves and were growing 
vigorously^ when last seen by me. 
It may be here noted as an additional proof of this statement 
that all attempts in Mysore and Coorg to raise sandal plantations 
by planting out seedlings, especially in the open, failed, - 
4, These items of evidence are, I believe, sufficient to support the 
statement that sandalicood cannot grow without the association of 
other species. Perhaps this evidence may not be deemed conclusive 
enough for a scientific affirmation of the fact, but for all practical 
purposes it is, I think, sufficient to justify the acceptance of the 
statement as a settled fact. 
The complete dependence of the sandal tree on the roots of its 
hosts for its nourishment having been established, the next questions 
to be settled are (1) whether it preys upon all speeies alike and 
derices its nutriment equally from all of them or whether it 
exercises any selective power and chooses any particular species for 
its hosts, and in the latter event (2) what arg. the species it likes 
most. 
5. As regards the first question, from iirvestigations in the field 
by digging up roots of different species associated with the sandal in 
its natural habitat as well as outside where it has been introduced, 
it has been found to attack roots of almost all species it comes 
into contact with, but in a very varying degree, traces of its attack 
being very scarce in some species, such as the custard apple (Anona 
squamosa), Carallia lueida, etc., while they are numerous in some 
other.s such as Pongamia glabra, Alhizzia odoratissima, Lantana 
Caw.oia, Vitex Negundo, etc. It has been also found that a species 
is largely attacked in one locality where the choice of the sandal is 
limited to a few species, while the same species is sparingly attacked 
in another locality where there is an unlimited choice of other 
plants. Thus, for instance, in a private compound at Cumbum in 
the Kurnool District and in a forest tope near Hosur in the Salem 
District, where the number of host-plants is limited, sandal grows 
luxuriantly in the company of Cassia siamea, largely attacking the 
’ My “ Notes on Sandal.” — Indian Forest Records, Volume II, Part III. 
’ Mr. P. M. Lushington’s “ Notes on the Sandal Tree in Southern India.” 
