Indian Forest Records. 
[Vol. VI 
100 
the available supply and cheapness of extraction. Thus Finns longifolia 
sleepers—the ‘ Chir 5 pine of the Lower Himalayas—has already been 
treated in considerable numbers and is being supplied to State Railways. 
The other more likely sleepers which deserve early attention may 
be divided into two groups: first, the Andaman timbers including 
Dipterocarpus turbinoJus, D. alatus, Terminalia Manii, T. bialata, 
T. Catappa, and the Himalayan ‘ Spruce 5 and ‘ Silver fir and 
secondly,' the Assam species consisting of Dipterocarpus pilosus, Shorea 
assamica, Terminalia myriocarpa, possibly Altingia excelsa and others. 
Any Railway Company or private firm considering the question of treat¬ 
ing sleepers, would do well to consider the possibility of starting work in 
either one or other of these localities. It might with justice be asked 
why the great variety of fine timbers found in the Burma forests are not 
included. The reason is that labour is expensive and not over-plentiful 
in Burma and that most other considerations are at present overshadowed 
by the trade in teak timber, though there is not the least doubt that 
Burma stands easily first as regards its future possibilities. 
(3) The mechanical strength and seasoning qualities of timbers 
suitable for sleepers 
(i) Mechanical properties. 
From inspections made of the treated sleepers in the line, it seems 
fairly certain that the timbers of Pinus longifolia , P. excelsa , Abies 
Pindrow, and Picea Morinda are not sufficiently tough to withstand the 
cutting action of the foot-rail, and that they will require to be fitted with 
bearing-plates. 
In the case of the four Dipterocarps and Shorea assamica mentioned 
in list I, provided the traffic is light or moderately so and the foot-rail 
fairly broad, it will probably not be found necessary to use bearing-plates, 
whereas if the traffic is heavy, they will be necessary. 
As regards Terminalia tomentosa, T. myriocarpa and T. Manii , 
all of which are hard timbers, it is thought that no bearing-plates will 
be necessary. 
The tendency of the dog-spike to enlarge the spike holes has also 
to be considered. While inspecting the various lots of treated sleepers, 
several of the spikes were drawn in order to ascertain whether or not 
they showed any tendency to shake loose and, in no instance, was this 
found to be the case. The spikes were found to be holding moderately 
well in the case of the Pine sleepers, well in the case of the Dipterocarps , 
while the Terminalia tomentosa sleepers held the spikes so strongly that 
thev could only be removed with difficulty. 
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