Part II] Hole: Regeneration of Sal (Shorea robusta) Forests 63 
(27) In some cases where the ground is fairly level and the soil 
surface has not been hardened, quite good results may be 
obtained on loam from broadcast sowings on undug soil. 
When on loam the ground is not level, the seed is liable to 
be washed away by the rain, whereas in dug soil the rainfall 
percolates in situ , an equable distribution of moisture in the 
soil is secured, the seeds are not washed away and a well 
distributed stocking with vigorous plants is secured. To 
obtain uniformly good results on loam, therefore, hoeing, 
is necessary, see present paper, paras. 36, 37, 40, 41 (3), 45, 
46 (2). 
(28) The larger the cleared areas, the stronger the resulting growth 
of weeds and the greater is the damage to the seedlings by 
drought. On the whole, the best width for the cleared 
strips and patches is fths the average height of the adjoining 
trees. In openings of this kind frost does no damage. 
In order to diminish trouble from weed growth it is desirable 
to regenerate small cleared patches first and then to gradually 
extend these areas in the form of narrow strips, see l.c. part 
II, 1916, paras. 35, 37 (3) (4) and present paper, paras. 30, 
31, 32 (2) (5) (6) (7) (9) (10) and Plate V. 
(29) The experience gained in experiments V and VII above 
indicate that, in the small cleared patches, one or at most 
two weedings will be sufficient. In the larger clearings 
it is believed that four weedings will be sufficient, one at 
the end of the first rains, one at the beginning and end 
of the next rains and one during the next two years. 
Weeding should be done with discrimination and in the 
larger clearings scattered plants of the larger tufted grasses 
(Saccharum, Erianthus, etc.) or a few woody coppice shoots 
(which can be topped when necessary) are often beneficial 
in decreasing water loss from the plants and in preventing 
the development of the highly injurious matted growth of 
small herbaceous plants, see present paper, paras. 31, 32 
(9), 32 (10) and Plate VI. 
(30) In the forests in which these experiments have been carried 
out, in a year of normal heavy rainfall (60 ins. and above 
during the period June-September inclusive), side shade 
from the south is decidedly injurious by keeping the soil 
perpetually moist, which causes the plants to suffer from a 
badly aerated soil and from the attacks of leaf—and twig¬ 
killing fungi. Bad results are also obtained in areas which 
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