Part V.j Pearson: Note on the Utilization of Bamboo. 41 
some of the plantations, evergreen and Karan areas, are they in any 
way scarce. These forests and those of the Okkan which are 
described hereafter, resemble each other, especially as regards the 
growth of bamboos. 
(3) Area of the forest covered with bamboos. 
The total area of the forests situated in the catchment area of the 
Thonze Kiver is 69,734 acres, which is made up as follows :— 
1. Area from which bamboos can be exploited .... 40,037 acres. 
2. Evergreen forest ......... 8,000 „ 
3. Karen area in which shifting cultivation is practised . . . 8,200 ,, 
4. Area containing bamboos but from which exploitation is difficult 13,497 „ 
Total . 69,734 acres. 
The area, therefore, with which we are concerned is 40,037 acres, from 
which bamboos can be exploited without difficulty. It may here be 
mentioned that, out of the 13,497 acres in which bamboos occur, but 
from which exploitation is difficult, 4,565 acres are situated above the 
waterfall on the Kodugwe tributary and 8,932 acres are situated on the 
steep slopes of the main ridge of the Yomas, whence extraction 
would be difficult and costly. 
(4) Species of bamboos and mode of growth. 
The prevailing species in these forests are Cephalostachyum 
pergracile (Tinwa) and Bambusa polymorpha (Kyathaung); Dendro- 
calamus strictus (Mvin) is common on the ridges and Teinostachyum 
llelferi (Wathabut) along the streams and in the evergreens. From 
Appendix I it will be seen that the average length of 200 cut stems 
of Tinwa is 28 feet and mid-girth 5-7", while an equal number of 
Kyathaung average 33 feet and 8*8" mid-girth. An important point 
in the growth of bamboos is the number of new stems put out yearly 
as compared with the number of old stems in the clump. From 
Appendix I we find that the average number of Tinwa stems per 
clump is about 9 of which 23 per cent, are new and 77 per cent, old, or 
in round figures as 1 is to 3. In the case of Kyathaung the number 
of new stems is proportionally greater. The figures show roughly 11 
stems per clump, of which 30 per cent, are new and 70 per cent, old, or 
as 1 is to 2J. 
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