Part YIII] Smythies : Afforestation of Ravine Lands 
17 
Past treatment. —Sown on ridges with ditches in June 1915, ridges 
being 10 feet apart. Number of plants per acre (excluding suppressed 
stems)=740. 
Measurements recorded (July 1919):— 
Maximum height . 
Average height . 
Maximum girth at breast. 
Average girth at breast . 
Ft. in. 
= 20 
= 17 
= 1 
= 0 
5 2L 
These figures will suffice to show the growth of shisham on good 
areas, and of babul on good and on average areas. 
26. Apart from shisham and babul, however, numerous other tree 
„ species have been tried experimentally chiefly 
in the Fisher Forest, on a high level dry, 
flat sandy loam, a very average locality. The following record of mea¬ 
surements may be noted :— 
Species Botanical 
name. 
Vernacular j 
name. 
When 
sown 
end of 
June. 
Height 
end of 
June 
1918. 
Height 
end of 
June 
1919. 
Incre¬ 
ment in 
1 year 
of 
drought. 
Remarks. 
Ft. in. 
Ft. in. 
Ft. in. 
Tectona grandis 
Teak 
1915 
17 3 
18 0 
0 9 
Shorea robusta 
Sal . 
1 1915 
2 0 
2 5 
0 5 
Dalbergia Sissoo 
Shisham . 
1916 
12 4 
16 1 
3 9 
All measure¬ 
Acacia Catechu 
Khair 
1917 
4 4 
5 3 
0 11 
ments re¬ 
Acacia jacaranda 
Jacaranda. 
| 1915 
15 0 
15 9 
0 9 
corded are 
Bombax malabaricum 
Semel 
i 1916 
8 2 
10 5 
2 3 
average of 
Gmelina arborea 
Gumhar . 
I 1916 
14 10 
18 0 
3 2 
3 best 
Holoptelea integri- 
Papri or 
1916 
7 8 
9 8 
2 0 
plants. 
folia. 
Kanju. 
Adima cordifolia 
Haldu 
1916 
5 6 
7 6 
2 0 
Hardwickia binata . 
Arjan 
1916 
7 6 
10 0 
2 6 
The relatively small increase in growth in 1919 was due to the pheno¬ 
menal drought. There was no growth at all from October 1918 to 
July 1919, but it is noteworthy that scarcely any established plants 
were killed by the drought, and when abundant rains came in July 
1919, all species shot ahead rapidly. These results are encouraging, 
and experiments are now being tried on a large scale. 
27. The effect of intensive cultivation and protection on the im¬ 
provement of the fodder crop is noticeable. 
graeT r0Vement °' fodder The common and worthless species of ravine 
grass, sufaid lapa ( Arislida Adscenscionis), 
disappears, and gives place to such valuable fodder grasses as Dub 
(Cynodon dactylon , Pers.), Apluda varia , and the smaller spear 
[ 233 ] 
D 
