l8 
Indian Forest Records. 
[Vol. VIII 
better results. Palas responds well to pruning and repeated pruning 
does not appear to affect materially its power of throwing out pollard 
shoots. 
Kusum .—A large deciduous tree found in the sub-Himalayan 
tract from the Sutlej eastwards, in the southern C. P., Chota Nagpur, 
Orissa and Burma. It is found elsewhere, but is not common. It is 
never gregarious, but occurs scattered in high forest and occasionally 
in groups of a few trees. It seems to prefer a high altitude and to 
grow best at about 2,000 feet, and is frequently found by the side of 
rivers and nalas, but cannot stand water-logging and, once established, 
is drought-hardy. In dry deciduous forests it stands out as a conspi¬ 
cuous object during the hot weather months on account of its fresh 
green foliage. Kusum is decidedly slow in growth, coppices poorly 
and pollards less vigorously than other lac-growing species. The old 
leaves are shed in February and the new appear in March-April, 
purple at first, changing to a fresh light green. The flowers follow 
the leaves immediately and the fruit ripens in the hot season. 
Thus in habit it closely resembles Shorea robusta (Sal) with which it 
is frequently found mixed. It may be raised easily from seed or 
cuttings, but in early years is very slow in growth. In general 
appearance it closely resembles Bassia latifolia (Mohwa), though it is 
readily distinguished by its lighter bark and characteristic leaf 
formation—no terminal leaflet, but generally three on each side. 
Kusum produces a finer quality and larger individual crop than 
any other known lac-bearing species, but its solitary habit and pre¬ 
ference for heavy jungle increase the cost of cultivation and discourage 
its more extensive use as a lac host. Lac cultivators profess to be 
able to distinguish several varieties. In Raipur there are said to be 
two varieties, one with a small curly leaf and the other with large 
leaves. Only as a last resort will the cultivator infect the curly leaved 
variety ; his explanation is that the sap is acrid and that the insects 
may die on attachment. In other places cultivators will distinguish 
as many as four varieties, but always by leaf variations. It is pro¬ 
bably merely a question of locality, but requires investigation, 
Kusum is affected very strongly by the attacks of the lac insect 
and requires several years to recover its vitality, so that at least a 
three years’ rotation is necessary. 
Wherever Kusum exists in sufficient quantities its infection with 
lac is recommended, but on account of its slow growth private 
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