G. S. Mathauda

Abstract

We should improve our agricultural practices in order to make up the present deficiency in food grains. The importance of better manurial practices is self evident. Out of the 3 types of manures viz., farm-yard manure, inorganic or artificial manures and compost, only the last can be produced immediately in sufficiently large quantities and at a very 1ow cost. Also, it is decidedly superior to the artificial manures and, if properly made, better than the farm-yard manure too. A few simple methods of compost making are described.

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G. S. Mathauda

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cupressus torulosa is a fine timbel eminently suited for a number of specialized industries such as pencil making, battery separators and vats for storage of corrosive chemicals. The total requirements of these industries at a conservative estimate are 2½ lac cubic feet per annum. The tree can be propagated easily and with advantage on comparatively dry and hot slopes not well suited for carrying deodar. It is thus a timber with a bright future. Action should be taken to create large scale compact plantations capable of meeting the above requirements.

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G. S. Mathauda

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A graphical method of stem analysis described. As compared with the orthodox methods, the fieldwork involved in this method is easier and it yields much more comprehensive information about diameter, height and volume increments.

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G. S. Mathauda

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G. S. Mathauda

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In order to study the development of plantation sal under different grades of thinning, a set of 3 sample plots was laid out in a 5-year old crop in Kalimpong Division of West Bengal, in 1930. The plots were measured and thinned in 1936, 1941, 1946 and 1951. The investigation has been described, the data analysed and results discussed. It appears that for top quality sal plantations maximum basal area and total volume production is obtained under the 'C/D' grade of thinnings. The 'D' grade gives approximately equal volume production, whereas the 'D/E' grade is decidedly inferior to either in this respect. An increase in thinning intensity, however, accelerates the development of average diameter and pushes up more trees into the upper diameter classes.

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G. S. Mathauda

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Four permanent linear tree increment plots, 1 chain wide and 27.5 to 67 chains in length, were laid out in 1939 in the Eastern and Western Kanara Forest Divisions of Bombay in order to facilitate the identification of the complex tree flora of the local tropical wet evergreen forests and to determine the rate of growth of individual tree species. The information collected on these plots, during the period 1939 to 1949, forms the basis of this short note. Out of a total of 4002 stems, 4 inches and over in b.h. diameter, 3981 have been identified. The identified stems belong to 131 different species. The number of species represented in individual plots varies from 56 to 76 and their proportion from o.1 to 17.9 per cent. The number of natural orders varies from 26 to 32, the contribution of even the most frequent natural order being only 25.1%. The top canopy itself may be composed of 26 to 60 species, the commonest species being no more than 25.9% of the total. A detailed statement showing the number of stems for each species, in the different plots, by 4-inch diameter and 3 canopy classes is appended. Habits of some of the species with regard to their occurrence have been examined. Whereas a few out of these occur throughout the altitudinal range of nearly 1,500 feet, others show preference for the higher or lower elevations. Again, some species are scattered all over the plots in the form of single trees or very small groups, while others are found in isolated groups of varying sizes. It has been shown that, in each of these plots, and in the hypothetical crop represented by their averages, the numbers of trees in successive diameter classes form a geometric series, thereby proving that the law of de Liocourt with respect to balanced uneven-aged diameter distributions applies to the virgin tropical evergreen forests also. The exponential equations for the 5 above distributions have been worked out. Mortality figures for each of the plots during the ten-year period are given. These can serve as a basis for determining the gross yield. The data examined indicate that the law of de Liocourt is applicable also to the normal mortality in these forests. Based on the 3 quinquennial measurements which the plots have so far received, the average rates of growth of 19 most frequently occurring species have been determined and presented in tabular form.

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V. S. Krishnaswamy , G. S. Mathauda

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The description and results of a thinning cycle investigation that has been in progress since 1936 in young chir crops at Dehra Dun are given. The thinning cycles under trial are 4, 8 and 12 years, the intensity in all cases being, 'D' grade of ordinary thinnings. The shortest thinning cycle has given maximum diameter increment and largest number of trees in the top diameter classes. Its performance is comparable to that of the 8 years cycle from the view-point of basal area and volume production, while the 12 years cycle has given distinctly poorer results. The treatments have had no influence on height growth and the length of clean bole. The 4 year thinning cycle, therefore, gives maximum diameter increment as well as total volum, without impairing the quality of the timber. The thinning periodicity may be increased to 8 years without adversely affecting total volume production. The investigation also indicates that thinning intensities lighter than the ordinary 'D' grade should be avoided for high quality young chir crops.

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V. S. Krishnaswamy , G. S. Mathauda

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G. S. Mathauda

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An investigation, comprising 54 sample plots, was started at Balukhand in 1941, with a view to determining the influence of initial spacing, subsequent thinning treatment and rotation age on volume production and financial returns from plantation Casuarina in the locality. Examination of the data collected till the age of 7 years, by which time no thinning treatment had been given to any of the plots, reveals that initial espacement has a clear effect on mortality rate, diameter development and production of Basal area during this phase of the crops' life. Three initial spacings, viz., 6, 9 and 12 feet square have been under trial. Increase in planting espacement cuts down mortality rate and accelerates diameter growth. But while the difference between 6 feet spacing on the one hand, and 9 and 12 feet spacings on the other, is highly significant, that between the latter two alone is not significant at the 5% probability level. Basal area production shows an exactly opposite trend. The drop in this parameter from 6 feet to 9 feet spacing is not significant. While that from either of these two to the 12 feet spacing has turned out to be highly significant. Statistical and graphical analyses of the data indicate that the 9 feet square espacement probably provides the crop optimum conditions of growth till the age of 7 years.

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G. S. Mathauda

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G. S. Mathauda

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G. S. Mathauda

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Based on a sample plot which has been in existence since 1931, the paper gives the constitution of a tropical moist deciduous forest in South Chanda Division, Madhya Pradesh from the botanical and forest mensurational view-points. It is shown that like the tropical wet evergreen Ghat Forests, balanced unevenaged crops belonging to the moist deciduous forest type also obey the law of de Liocourt. The basal area and volume per acre of the growing stock and their rates of growth have been determined and compared with those resulting in the tropical wet evergreen type and Teak and Sal evenaged crops of comparable site quality. The average rates of diameter growth of the 17 commonest tree species have been determined and are presented in tabular form.

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G. S. Mathauda

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The applicability of Gehrhardt's formula for determining the growth of understocked crops in terms of the growth of fully stocked crops has been tested in the case of four deodar sample plots specially laid out for the purpose in 1940. The data on record show that the formula does not hold good for deodar in the Himalayas.

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G. S. Mathauda

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The basic causes of floods are analysed. Floods originate in the hills and their consequences are experienced in the alluvial plains. The monsoon type of climate, special geology of the Himalayas from which our problem rivers originate and the destruction of forests in the hill catchment areas aggravate the flood problem in India. It is shown that the traditional methods of controlling floods with the help of engineering works in the plains are based on a lack of comprehension of the true flood mechanism, and sound flood control measures will have to tackle the hilly catchment areas and the plains portion simultaneously. Stress in the former will have to be on afforestation and sound soil and moisture conservation practices and in the later on engineering works like reservoirs and dykes. The lines along which work in the hilly catchment area should be done are briefly indicated.

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G. S. Mathauda

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The Rajasthan Desert, basically, is not a land of moving sand dunes. The tract is endowed with a reasonably rich flora, which is capable of forming a complete ground cover and thus immobilizing the sandy soils. Rainfall in this region being scanty and erratic, agriculture is a hazardous occupation. The thin human population subsists on the large number of goats, sheep, cows and camels they maintain. These cattle depend entirely on grazing and stall feeding is unknown. In years of normal or good rainfall there is a lush growth of grasses during the rainy season. This is gradually consumed by the cattle in the following months. A succession of low rainfall years, with resulting poor growth of grasses, leads to the destruction of this vegetation. Wind erosion is a logical consequence of this. Rationalization of grazing practices is essential for controlling the desert problem. This would involve reduction of the number of cattle to the safe bearing capacity of land, a proper distribution of grazing intensity and introduction of optimum schemes of rotational or seasonal grazing.

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G. S. Mathauda

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The 1935 and 1939 stand structures of some unevenaged sal forests of Ramnagar Forest Division, Uttar Pradesh, managed under the selection system, are examined with the help of data from nearly 15 miles length of permanent linear increment plots. The influence of management during the 14 years' period on the distribution of size classes, crop basal area and crop volume is analysed and yields compared with increments. The absolute necessity of having balanced stand structure, in the interest of sustained yields, is stressed and a simple way of testing this character is explained. The rate of diameter growth of sal is given by site qualities. Empirical yield tables and stand tables for unevenaged sal crops have been prepared. The common defects in the present management of unevenaged forests are discussed and suggestions for improving the same have been made.

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G. S. Mathauda

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G. S. Mathauda

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Results of two experiments on the comparative merits of nailed-lips as against the wood-inserted ones are presented. Data collected during the course of this work show that nailed-lips give 11% and 18% better yield during the first and second years tapping of new channels respectively. It has also been observed that difference in yields of resin from blazes placed on the eastern and western faces of trees is not significant.

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G. S. Mathauda

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Comprehensive data about new culm production from clumps of different sizes for Dendrocalamus strictus, along with similar, though more limited, figures for a few other bamboo species in India are presented. The present practice of defining felling intensity in bamboo forests on the basis of last one or two season's production is defective as the big fluctuations in new production are automatically reflected in the yields realised. It is explained that a rational method of control1ing bamboo fellings must be based on annual production averaged over a large number of years.

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G. S. Mathauda

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The influence of climatic conditions on seasonal variation in resin yields in the case of chir pine has been examined with the help of data collected during the period 1956 to 1958 at 4 different localities covering the altitudinal range 2,300 feet to 4,500 feet. It has been noticed that production of resin is not influenced by humidity, rainfall or changes in the seasonal rate of growth of the species. On the other hand there is a very intimate connection between temperature and resin yields and fluctuation in the latter are easily explained by those in the former. Optimum yields are obtained under the mean daily temperature conditions of about 80°F. and above and a sharp fall in production occurs as the temperature drops down to about 75°F. The value of 78°F. appears to be critical from this view point as a fall below this point causes a sudden downward trend in the resin production graph. In the altitudinal range covered by the four stations from which the data were collected, the season of peak resin yields varies considerably depending upon the extent to which the temperature values are reduced by the monsoon rains in any particular case. The fall in the resin production graph at the close of the tapping season is more gradual as compared to the rise at the beginning of the season. It appears that the resin producing processes inside the tree take some time to respond fully to the wound stimulus.

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G. S. Mathauda

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G. S. Mathauda

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S. K. Seth , G. S. Mathauda

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Results of two trials conducted at new forest during 1958 with the object of studying the effect of Gibberellic acid on tree seedlings are described. The species experimented upon have shown considerable variation in their response to the treatment. In majority of cases height growth was accelerated. Generally speaking the stronger solutions gave greater height growth. Very rapid growth, however, produced undesirable traits associated with etiolation and was also accompanied by reduced ischolar_main development. Weaker strengths of the chemical gave less spectacular increase in height growth but the plants were apparently quite healthy and possessed well developed ischolar_main system.

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G. S. Mathauda

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No abstract

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S. K. Seth , G. S. Mathauda

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