2 
Indian Forest Records. 
[VoL. IX 
The general conclusions arrived at were : — 
(а) That, in view of the shortage of standard {i.e., Sal, Deodar and 
Pyinkado) sleepers, it is necessary to supplement supplies 
with sleepers of treated second class timbers and of concrete, 
iron and steel. 
(б) That the economic possibilities of treated sleepers of second class 
timbers are very well worth further consideration. In 
particular Tcrminalia tomentosa (Asna, Sain, Mutti, Tauk- 
kyan, etc.) and all other Terminalias except T. belerica seem 
most promising ; also Chir, Spruce and several other varieties 
mentioned by Mr. Pearson. 
(c) That it is advisable to consider the possibilities of establishing 
pressure treating plants in suitable places either for one 
railway or for the combined requirements of two or more 
railways. 
(d) That for the successful employment of treated second class 
timbers as sleepers it is essential that the greatest care should 
be taken in seasoning the timber and in laying the sleepers 
heart upwards. 
Mr. Richards promised to have Mr. Pearson’s note, with additions 
which Mr. Pearson kindly undertook to provide, printed as a “ Techni- 
cal Paper.” 
2. Present conditions in the sleeper market. 
The present condition of the sleeper market may be summarised by 
stating that the supply of standard sleepers, such as teak, deodar, sal 
and Pyinkado, is not sufibcient to meet the demand, with the result that 
not only have prices been forced up to double pre-war rates but that the 
Railway Engineers do not know where to turn for supplies to meet their 
requirements. The position is therefore a serious one, and has led to 
forcing the railways to import foreign sleepers, to consider the more 
extensive use of iron and concrete sleepers and to utilize species of timber 
other than standard kinds, which in some cases hardly meet their require- 
ments. The cause of this shortage of standard sleepers is not far to 
seek. Merchants find it more profitable to convert timber into forms 
other than sleepers ; then again, during the war faulty sleepers were not 
replaced at the same rate as in normal times, resulting in much leeway 
having to be made up to make good the deficit and lastly, to the difficulty 
in obtaining iron sleepers. If a reference is made to Appendix I, it 
will be seen that the average annual purchases made by the Railways 
during the last ten years amount to 3,238,61b sleepers, many of which 
[ 2 J 
