32 
Indian Forest Records . 
[VOL, VIII 
surface and the rest of the pit filled up with subsoil (surface soil contains 
injurious insects). Before sowing the seed should again be tested in 
water and those that float rejected. In this way 80 per cent, germina¬ 
tion has been obtained, otherwise germination is uncertain and some¬ 
times delayed by as much as two years. If sown direct it should be 
dibbled, an inch or two deep, at the beginning of the rains. If sown 
in a nursery this should be done in February, without shades, and 
pricking-out is not necessary as the seeds can be dibbled a few inches 
apart in the seed bed. The plants are kept in the nursery at least 2 
years, when they are planted after root-and-shoot pruning. This 
method overcomes the difficulty of poor seed years to some extent. 
It is said that the pruning is best effected by cutting the tap roots 
with a sharp spade, pushed horizontally from the side of the bed six 
inches below the surface, three weeks before lifting. The shoot should 
be pruned back to the collar when lifted. Phalat seed germinates 
earlier than that of the other species and if sown direct may be dibbled 
in March when it germinates in April or May. 7 to 18 seeds per oz. 
Schimct, Wallichii .—Chilauni in Napalese, Kanak in Bengali (Chittagong). 
Plains up to 5,000 ft. Seed ripe in February. 2 lbs. of seed to the kamra 
will produce 3,000 seedlings. Has been very little planted by the Forest 
Department but the Chinchona Department find that it gives a good 
yield of fuel to the acre. At Mongpoo (4,500 ft.) six-year-old trees 
averaged 1 ft. 2 ins. in girth. 
Swietenia macrophylla .—This species of Mahogany appears to be 
a very promising tree in Chittagong where it has been introduced. The 
same or another species (probably S. Mahagoni) was tried several years 
ago in Northern Bengal with little success. The fruit ripens in February 
and early March and should be collected and dried for two or three days, 
then broken open and the seed removed. Sow at once three inches apart 
in shaded beds with the wing of the seed sticking out of the ground. 
No pricking-out is necessary and the plants are put out in May or June 
of the same year when they should be about six inches high. By the 
end of the first rains they attain a height of two to three feet, in two 
years eight to ten feet and in three years eighteen to twenty feet. 
Tectona grandis .—Sagwan in Nepalese. Introduced with great suc¬ 
cess in Chittagong and, considering the lack of thinnings, the plantations 
in Northern Bengal (some of which at Bamonpokri date back to 1867), 
seem to warrant further experiment. Seed ripens in February and March 
and is abundant every year. It is collected and stored until the beginning 
of April when it should be soaked for 24 hours then spread in the sun on 
ground free from grass for 48 hours and again soaked. Repeat this 
operation of alternate soaking and drying 5 times, in all 15 days. Seed 
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