124 
Indian Forest Records. 
[VoL. 1. 
The Government Sal Reserved Forests, under the management of 
the Forest Department in the Bengal Presidency thus form a series of 
fairly compact blocks, situated between North latitude 32° 47' and 19° 
41', and East longitude 76° 10' and 93° 10'. Within this vast tract of 
country these forests occupy a total area of 4,260,535 acres, or 6,657 
square miles ; and though many of them are in a ruined, abnormal 
condition, with large blanks, and improductive areas, yet the Sal tree, 
in the forests in which it occurs, in a climate and on soil which suit it, 
“is always the prevailing tree, greater in number of individuals than 
all the rest put together” , frequently forming pure forests.* The 
important role which this species plays in Indian forest management 
cannot therefore be overrated, and a correct knowledge of its rate of 
growth in different localities and under varying conditions is indispen- 
sable to the forester. 
•“The most uniformly gregarious among the timber trees of India’’. 
Manual of Indian Timbers, page 78. 
Gamble, A. 
