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1960
Teak propagation and culture
Nitasana Chareonmit
The University of Montana
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TEAK PROPAGATION AND CULTURE
by
NITASANA CHAREONMIT
B.8 .F* Kasetsart University, College of Forestry,
Thailand, 194&
Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Master of Forestry
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
i960
Approved by:
Ûhairraan, Board of Examiners
Dean, Graduate School
MAY 2 7 1960
Date
UMI Number: EP36970
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UMT
OMMrtiÜonPUblMng
UMI EP36970
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I wish to express my gratitude to Dr. William R.
Pierce, my major advisor and chairman of my graduate
committee, for his advice and guidance during the course
of my graduate work.
Grateful thanks should go to the other members of
my graduate committee. Dr. Vollrat von Deichman for his
critical review of the manuscript, and Mr. Don Baldwin
for his advice on American nursery techniques.
Material from Turney, James W., ’’Seeding and Plant
ing in the Practice of Forestry,” is used with permission
of John Wiley and Sons, Inc., publishers.
ii
TABLE OP CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. INTRODUCTION^-HISTORICAL........................ 1
A. G e n e r a l ................. 1
B. Distribution..... ........................ ^
C. Composition . . . . . . 5
D. Description ................. . . . . . . 7
E. Site Factors . . . . . . . . . . 9
S o i l ................................ 9
Climate ....................... 10
Natural Succession ................ . 11
II. S I L V I C S .........................................13
A. Leaf Shedding ................... 13
B. Flowering andFruiting . ;................... 13
C. Growth ...................... ll{.
D. Regeneration . . . . . . . . . . . 17
E. Tree S e e d .................................. 21
Seed Collection .......... . 22
Transportation and Seed Storage ... 23
Treatmentof S e e d ................... 23
P. N u r s e r y ......... .... . .................2k
TemporaryNurseries ........... 25
PermanentNurseries ................. 25
ill
Iv
CHAPTER PAGE
G. Preparation of Nursery Seed Beds • • • • • • 26
Preparation of Seed Beds • « • • • • • 26
Sowing • • • • • • • • • 27
Insect Damage • • # 30
Leaf D i s e a s e s .................. 30
III. TEAK C U L T U R E ................................ 3k
A. Preparation of Land . . . . . . . . . 34
F e l l i n g .......................... • • 34
Burning ...............................36
Spacing and S t a k i n g • « • 40
B. P l anting......... 40
Time of P l a n t i n g . 40
Method of P l a n t i n g .......... . . . 42
Direct Seeding • ................ 43
Planting of S t o c k ................ 45
Planting of C u t t i n g s .......... • 46
(1) Size of seedling
for stumping • ............ 46
(2) Shape of stump . .......... 47
(3) Preparation of stump .... 47
(4) Plantation «... 49
C. Tending in Plantations .................... 52
Weeding ................ . . . . . . 52
Closing of O p e n i n g .............. 53
D. Thinning . ......... 54
V
CHAPTER PACE
E. Injuries and Protection. . . . . . 57
I n s e c t s ........................ 57
The teak cariker-grub............ 58
Fire ...................... 61
Climatic . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
A n i m a l .............. . . 62
G r a z i n g ......................... 63
Parasite and Epiphitlc Plants .... 63
P. Rate of Growth ................ 6if
IV. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION ................ 65
LITERATURE C I T E D .............................. 69
A P P E N D I X ...................................... 73
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
I. Average heights (in meters) of teak
plantations ................... 78
II, Growth rate based on annual r i n g s ............. • 79
III, Number of years at seven-foot girth on
various classes of soil ....................... 80
IV, The general height growth of different girth
classes calculated from the above measurements. , 8l
V, Teak plantations were started in 1883,
Measurements recorded in 1 9 1 0 . , , 82
Vi
LIST OP FIGURES
FIGURE PAGE
1. Flower, leaf, fruit and seed of teak tree . . . . l5
2. Teak one year after stump p l a n t i n g ............. 18
3. Teak two years after stump p l a n t i n g ............. 19
Ij., Preparation of seed b e d ............ 28
5. Seed bed with supporting bamboo framework . . . . 29
6. Three-five months old teak s e e d l i n g s ........... 32
7. One year old teak seedlings in the seed bed . . . 33
8. Undergrowth and bamboo are felled f i r s t ......... 35
9. Trees of overstory are felled .......... ....37
10. Burning to clear land and prevent re-growth
of bamboo and undergrowth........................38
11. The unbumed slash is piled and burned
the second time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 9
12. Staking is done by using split bamboo ......... 1^1
13. Stump. Root and shoot cutting ready for plant
ing ............................................lj.8
12|.. Cleared land being prepared for stump planting. . 50
15. The stumps are planted in the ground
and the young leaf grows up frcoi the bud . . . . 5l
16. The teak canker-grub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 0
17. Teak with temate leaves « Shoots of 1929 with
six well-developed whorls of three leaves each . 85
18. Teak, leaves normal but alternate and spirally
a r r a n g e d ...................................... . 8 6
vii
viit
FIGURE PAGE
19» Teak, leaves normal but alternate and
blforious........................... 87
20* Teak, leaves mostly noimal, but one or more
pairs fused together .................. 68
21. Teak with four alternate leaves followed
by three whorls of three, and at the top,
two decussate pairs almost on the same level.
The side shoots from the base are normal shoot
of 1929......................................... 89
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION - HISTORICAL
A GENERAL
Teak (Tectona grandis Linn.) Family - Verbena-
ceae. Local name - Kyan (Burmese) * Mal-Sak (Shan) * Sak
(Thailand).
The Portuguese name Teca, Itself derived from the
Greek word Tekton, meaning ”a carpenter," gave rise to
both Tectona and Teak; grandis In Latin means "large."
Teak Is known to occur naturally In Burma, India,
Indo-Chlna, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.
In Burma, the northern boundary limit of teak Is
about 25 degrees 30 minutes North Latitude. This boundary
passes through the Eachln state, and Is some distance out
side the Tropics. The southern boundary Is about 15
degrees to 16 degrees North Latitude In the Amherst dis
trict. On the east, teak occurs through the Shan states
and beyond the boundaries of the Union. In the northwest.
It does not extend beyond the west watershed of the Irra
waddy and Chlndwln rivers. In the southwest. It occurs on
the west bank of the Irrawaddy, extending Into the
1
2
foothills of the Arakan Yomas in decreasing abundance to
about 18 degrees to 19 degrees North Latitude (Kermode,
1927).
Teak was declared a ’’royal” tree in 1722 during the
Alaugpaya dynasty. The British Government declared it
state property in l822 and under the current Burma Forest
Act, 1902, it is a ’’reserved” tree; i.e., wherever found,
it may not be felled, cut, girdled or injured by fire or
other means, or be extracted, except under grand license
or special agreement with the Government (Anonymous, 1935).
In Thailand, in its natural habitat, teak is found
extensively all over the north, and extending in inter
rupted stretches south along the west border into the
provinces of Nakornsawan, Udhaidhani, and Kanburi as far
south as li|. degrees North Latitude, and as far down to the
central part as Phechaboon. In the northeast, it grows in
a few small detached areas in the provinces of Khonkaen
and Nongkai. The whole range may broadly be said to extend
from the extreme western border to the northeastern bound
ary as far as Nakorn-phanom on the Mekhong river between
Longitude 97 degrees 30 minutes arid IOI4. degrees 30 minutes
East, and from the northernmost boundary (North Latitude
20 degrees 30 minutes) to about North Latitude 16 degrees
30 minutes in the North East. The main teak zone, however,
is confined to the hilly and even mountainous region of
the north in the provinces of Me Hongsorn, Chiengmai,
3
Chiengria, Lampang, and so on, between Longitude 97
degrees 30 minutes to 101 degrees 20 minutes East and
20 degrees 30 minutes North Latitude to 16 degrees North
Latitude. Its altltudlnal range lies between about 100
meters to about 900 meters above mean sea level.
Teak is the best known, most universally used, and
the most valuable timber tree of Thailand, It is protected
by law and may not be cut without a special permit, regard
less of the region of its growth.
In Trinidad, teak (Tectona grandis Linn. P.) has
been Introduced into several of the islands of the Carib
bean. The earliest introductions were made about seventy
years ago and appear to have come from both India and
Burma.
Specimen teak trees exist in botanical gardens
within the Caribbean region, but there are no large planta
tions except in Trinidad, During the last few years, how
ever, several tons of Trinidad seed have been exported to
Ecuador and smaller amounts to British Honduras^ St, Vin
cent, Antigua, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, Surinam, Cuba,
Costa Rica, French Guiana, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico,
Haiti and Puerto Rico (Lamb, 1957)•
In Java and Muna, teak occurs naturally. The teak
forests are found in Central and East part of the country
on the margalite soil of tertiary origin in the lowlands
up to 500 meters above sea level (Alphen De Veer, 1957)#
1;
In India, teak occurs in the western part, where
its northern limit is in the Western Aravallis at about
2l|. degrees Latitude. In central India, it attains its
northern limit in the Thausi district at about the same
latitude; then the line of the northern limit runs south
west from the point to the Mahanadi river in the central
provinces (Aung Din, Huberman, and Eaig, 1958).
B DISTRIBUTION
Teak is not continuous throughout the area, as
there are certain soils unsuited for its. growth, such as
the drier parts of the dry zone in central Burma, the
tidal regions of the Delta, and so on.
The distribution of teak plantations in Trinidad
and Tobago is governed by a number of factors, the most
important of which are soil and the demand for land for
food gardens. The rainfall varies from 50 to 120 inches
per annum, which is adequate for teak (Lamb, 1957).
Thailand is essentially a forest country. Out of
the total area of the kingdom of 511,939 square kilometers,
about 63 per cent or 312,289 square kilometers is covered
with at least six different main types of forests; Tropi
cal Evergreen, Hill Evergreen, Conkferous, Mangrove,
Mixed Deciduous, and Deciduous Dipterocarps.
With regard to the teak forests which generally
occur in the Mixed Deciduous type, teak-bearing areas
5
cover almost the entire northern region of the country, or
from Latitude 17 l/2 degrees to 20 degrees North ana from
Longitude 97 3 /k degrees to 101 3 /k degrees East, comprising
about 2 1 ,6 2 5 square kilometers in area (BaniJbhatana, 1957),
Teak is fairly generally distributed in the states
of Madras Bombay, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Madhya Bharat
and Vindhya Pradesh* The species is widely distributed in
the western portion of the state in Hoshangabad and Nimar
districts* Except in the localities where conditions are
more favorable for growth, such as in Bori Valley in
Hoshangabad, Melghat and part of Betul, the forests in
the western half of the state are generally of low quality
(height growing below fifty feet) on account of low rain
fall and poor soil (Takle, 1957).
C COMPOSITION
Teak is found in a number of different types of
forests. It occurs scattered throughout these forests
in mixture with a large number of other species. Although
here and there almost pure patches of several acres in
extent can be found, it cannot be justifiably classed as
gregarious. It is very often possible to relate the
occurrence of these pure patches to the presence of a
village long ago or to taungya cutting operations of
the past (Kerraode, 1957).
6
Although teak Is widely distributed in Madhya
Pradesh, it occurs mainly in mixture with several other
species; the floristics of the forests being chiefly deter
mined by climatic, edaphic and biotic factors. The teak
forest of Madhya Pradesh cannot be considered as a uniform
type of association covering a large area. In fact, the
crop changes in quality, density and composition from place
to place and often within short distances. These forests
are in fact mixed forests with varying proportions of teak
and should rightly be termed as mixed teak forests (Takle,
1937).
Teak flourishes in only two of the forest types,
the tropical moist and dry deciduous. The moist deciduous
forests, which occupy alluvial flats and moist slopes
along streams, contain trees of the finest quality with
long strai^t cylindrical bole of good size and length,
though mostly fluted at the base. Other tree species
found typically associated with teak in the upper canopy
are: Xylia dolarbriformis. xylia kerrii and dedrela toona
(Mahaphol, 1933).
Teak is found mainly in the tropical mixed deci
duous forests on both moist and dry sites and sometimes is
extended in limited quantity to very dry types, such as
found in Dipterocarp forests where it is in association
with species like Dipterocapus tuberculatus and Shores
abtusa. On very moist sites it occurs in the semi
7
evergreen forests in mixture with such evergreen species
as Dipterocarpus spp., Cedrela spp., and Michelia cham-
paca.
In Burma, its common associates are Xylia dolahri-
formis and Terminalia termentosa. Teak is a dominant
member of the top canopy. It is closely associated with
bamboos, except on the low alluvial plains (Aung Din,
Huberman, and Haig, 19$8).
In India, the common associates are Xylia xylo-
carpa, Terminalia tomentosum, and Laggerstroemia spp.
In Thailand, forest trees found in close association with
teak are Adina cordifolia, Vitex. spp.. and Xylia kerri.
As elsewhere, bamboos form the main constituent of the
undergrowth and consist of such species as Bambusa poly-
morpha, Dendrocalamus strictus.
Although teak is the key species by virtue of its
superior value, its percentage in the crop composition is
by no means great. Teak forms, on an average, only about
twelve per cent of the growing stock in Burma. In
exceptional cases, in India and Burma, it may be as high
as fifty per cent or more in patches.
D DESCRIPTION
Teak is a lofty, deciduous tree that reaches a
height of 150 feet and a girth of fifteen feet or more at
four and one-half feet above the ground. The pre-war teak
8
stump at the Burma Forest school j Pyinraana had a girth of
sixteen feet three inches, the tree being I4.O6 years old
(Anonymous, 1935)* In plantations, teak may take from
fifty to eighty years to reach maturity. The bark is light
brown or gray, fibrous with long shallow cracks, peeling
off in long thin flakes. The sapwood is narrow and yellow
ish white; the heartwood golden yellow to dark grayish
brown but becoming darker with age, oily feeling, and
coarse textured with characteristic scent*
The heartwood is moderately hard and the sapwood
is soft. Annual rings are present, and the rays fairly
numerous, giving a conspicuous handsome silver grain.
The wood is strong, extremely durable and air-
seasons easily and well. It does not warp or split, but
in kiln seasoning, surface oxidation is apt to discolor
the wood. It works and polishes well and is, after
seasoning, exceptionally stable under changes of tempera
ture and moisture. Its weight at fifteen per cent
moisture is, on the average, forty-three pounds per cubic
foot (Long, 1935).
By virtue of its exceptional natural qualities,
teak wood has become outstanding as an all-purpose timber
since the earliest days of wood utilization. The combina
tion of the versatility of the soft-wood and the durability
and strength of the hardwood is well blended, making teak
9
one of the best timbers in the world* As deckings on
ships, its supremacy has never been challenged and there
are no known substitutes that give as satisfactory per
formance In such use. Teak is extensively used to a wide
variety of purposes, especially doors, windows, flooring,
beams, partition boards, piling, posts, furniture, agri
cultural implements, carts, wagon wheels and heavy con
struction.
E SITE FACTOR
Soil
Teak plantations are grown on deep, well drained
alluvium. It does not grow well on the deep, quick drain
ing red and pink sands. The tree thrives on a great
variety of soils. The most common underlying rock of teak
areas consists of crystalline or sedimentary formations.
We may find the species growing on sandy soil, pure sand
stone, or on chalky marl. The lime content figures of
soil cannot be directly connected with the quality of teak
growth.
In Burma, teak is found sometimes on flat, low-
lying land (not swamp) which is subject to brief periods of
inundation during the rains. It occurs on better drained
flats where often pure or nearly pure patches occur, in
undulating country, and on steep or even precipitous
slopes (Kermode, 1957).
10
Climate
Teak is to be found growing naturally from the edges
of the dry zone in Central Burma, with an annual rainfall
of fifty inches or even less, to the semi-evergreen or
evergreen forests of the Chlndwin drainage, and the Kachin
state in the north to the evergreen forests of Moulmein in
the south, where the rainfall may be considerably over
l50 Inches a year. Teak of best timber quality, producing
cylindrical and sound logs, occurs in the zone of the Pegu
Yomas, where the rainfall varies from about fifty to sixty-
five inches per year.
The maximum shade temperatures which teak encounters
in Burma is probably rarely as high as 110 degrees. The
range of maximum temperature is from 98 degrees (Myitkyina)
to. 110 degrees (Dry Zone and neighborhood). Minimum
temperature in the cold weather may be as low as 1^2 degrees
(Kermode, 1957)•
The more or less abrupt transition of the dry season
with the rainy one is an important factor in the develop
ment of teak forests.
In Thailand, teak is found to thrive best with a
normal rainfall varying from forty to seventy inches, and
a temperature from 65 degrees P, to 110 degrees F,
(Banijbhatama, 1957)* In Burma, it is susceptible to
frost and thus avoids actual frost holes. It thrives best
11
with a normal rainfall of between eighty and one hundred
inches (Takle, 1957)•
Natural Succession
The poor quality forests in the low rainfall zone,
in which teak forms a very high percentage of the growing
stock, appear to be the result of fires, excessive grazing
and preferential treatment given to it. The tree can hold
its own under the adverse effect of fire and grazing. It
regenerates and establishes with ease, as its seedlings can
survive under moderate shade of bamboos for a considerable
time. When gaps appear in the upper canopy or the canopy
is lifted by a forester, the seedlings shoot up. This
invasive reproduction of the tree is found in many forests
where its colonization is in progress at present. Thus,
teak and bamboo form a fairly stable association in com
paratively dry areas. Observations in natural forests
supported by stump and stem analyses, indicate that in its
struggle for existence, teak can withstand many years of
suppression and competition, and when freed can recover
and grow vigorously under favorable conditions.
As previously indicated, the successlonal trend of
moist deciduous forest is often toward a still moister
type of semi-evergreen and evergreen climax. During this
process, teak is gradually crowded out by the shade-bear
ing evergreen species. This trend is further accelerated
i
12
by fire protection, which encourages a rank growth cf
bamboos and other evergreen and shade-bearing deciduous
species in the understory. Annual fires tend to arrest
this change in moist deciduous forest, while repeated
olearcutting and burning in semi-evergreen and evergreen
forests seem to throw it back to the pre-climax deciduous
stage. Fire is thus a very important factor in influ
encing the ecology of teak forests (Aung Din, and Haig,
1958). In the higher rainfall areas in which teak is
found, it appears that the natural succession is toward
an evergreen or semi-evergreen type of forest from which
teak will gradually disappear. This succession is some
times attributed to the result of fire protection in the
early days of forest conservation and this may well be
true of some of the younger forests, a]though it can
hardly be so of the older forests. Research is needed
on the phases of natural succession. The influence of
man has been so profound in many places that it is hard
to decide what the natural succession would be (Kermode,
1957).
CHAPTER II
SILVICS
A LEAP SHEDDING
The leaves are large and strong, one to two feet
long and grow in pairs, each pair being crosswise to the
next. Underneath, they are like soft felt with hard brown
nerves, and above, the texture is that of fine sandpaper.
The leaves are larger in young trees. If the young leaves
are crushed and rubbed between the hands, the palms will
become stained red. The leaves are usually shed in
January, but in dry localities, leaf fall may be a month
earlier. In moist locations and along stream banks the
tree may retain its leaves much longer. The n ew leaves
appear in April, May, or even later, depending on the
locality and climate. The branchlets are furrowed and
quadrangular, and have a quadrangular pith.
B FLOWERING AND FRUITING
Soon after the first flush of new leaves, the
flowers appear by about June or July, interrainai panicles
which open up in small, whitish flowers by July and August,
13
and are borne at the end of the twigs of the crown in
pyrimidal inflorescences. The tree is most handsome wiien
in flower. These masses of white inflorescence in natural
teak forests are quite conspicuous, and easily recogniz
able when observed from above. Aerial photographs taken ir
teak forests during the flowering season will be of great
benefit in facilitating the location of these trees. Of
the millions of flowers formed, only a few become fertile,
and about September they turn into small Chinese lantern-
like fruit. When the fruit is ripe, in February to March,
they are about one inch across, and the papery and
crumpled bladder encloses a hard round nut with a furry
outer covering. There are two, three, or four seeds in
each fruit. They may retain their viability for two or
more years. (Figure 1)
0 GROWTH
Teak does not usually form a clear bole until it
has attained a girth of four feet, four and one-half feet
above the ground, and it completes its principal height
growth when it has reached a girth of five to six feet.
Large trees with girth ranging from fifteen to twenty feet
and a clear bole of up to 100 feet to the first branch,
have been recorded in all countries where teak is indi
genous, but trees six to eight feet in girth and eighty
to one hundred feet in height seem to be average for good
15
A.
Flower
C, Fruit D. Seed
FIGURE 1
FLOWER, LEAP, FRUIT AfTD SEED OP TEAK TREE
16
sites. Teak needs full light for its best development,
but it can exist for years in the shade of the forest,
either as seedling coppice, getting burnt back year after
year, or as a suppressed, usually misshapen tree of the
understory. It can recover after years of suppression
when given the chance and start to put on rapid growth.
The rate of growth of teak varies according to the
quality of the sites where it grows. In the rich deep
soil with adequate moisture, teak may grow to a consider
able size, attaining seven feet in girth within the period
of sixty years. But in average localities, it takes about
150 years to grow to the same dimension, and in unfavor
able conditions, it may even take 250 to 300 years for a
tree to reach this size.
The growth data of teak obtained from the analysis
cf 14-00 stumps occurring in different localities of varying
climate of the North of Thailand give the following rate
of growth;
1 *6 ” (I4.5 . 7 2 cm) girth within the period of 27 years
3* (9 1 .4 4 cm) girth within the period of 45 years
4*6” (1 . 3 7 m) girth within the period of 121 years
6' (1 , 8 3 m) girth within the period of 121 years
7* (2 .1 3 m) girth within the period of 153 years
The girth measured outside bark at breast height above
ground (Banijbhatana, 1957).
17
Thailand has always been well known for its large
teak trees and teak timber, and it is probable that the
tree attains in northern Thailand as large dimensions as
anywhere in the world, but unhappily, in recent years
these giants are not so easy to find as in the past, but
even now there are a certain number of really big Thai teak
trees, as yet untouched (Borrowes, 1927).
Teak is very hardy and fire resistant, sending up a
strong vigorous terminal shoot capable of pushing its way
through competing brush once conditions are otherwise
favorable» The growth rate of teak is very fast in the
early stages if kept free of overhead domination and given
ample side-space. On most sites, in the first year it may
grow two feet, and it increases its vigor in the second
year, when it may shoot up to eight to ten feet» In the
third year growth is still more rapid, and the side
branches begin to appear. The tree develops a clear,
straight trunk normally free from side branches» Growth
from stumps is faster and often reaches several feet at
the end of the first year» (Figure 2, 3)
D REGENERATION
As in other high tropical forests, early cuttings
were primarily loggers selections in the Asian area.
Though such operations have resulted in maintaining a
satisfactory forest from the standpoing of volume and rate
«
&
PIüUEE 2
TEAK ONE YEAR AFTER STUMP PLANTING
19
FIGURE 3
TEAK TWO YEARS AFTER STUMP PLANTING
20
of growth, they fail, of course, to provide for adequate
control of composition, regeneration of more desirable
species or desirable improvement in stem distribution and
stand normality. In the more accessible areas and in purer
stands, this has taken the form of compensatory plantations
or of complete removal of the original crop and its replace
ment by pure or almost pure stands of teak. This is some
times accomplished with natural, but more often by arti
ficial regeneration, usually "stump" planting, often in
association with agriculture, the so-called taungya system,
in which the new forest crop is started in conjunction
with agricultural crops. Plantation grown teak, often
much more rapid in growth and yield than in natural stands,
is of outstanding importance in the Asian region and as
an exotic in many world areas. The Indian approach to the
natural teak regeneration problem is marked by caution,
the presence of sufficient advance growth being the neces
sary requisite before fellings can be undertaken. On the
other hand, the Burmese approach to the problem has been
that of clear-felling and thorough burning of more acces
sible forests, irrespective of whether advance growth is
present or not, as long as seed bearers are present in the
original crop. The remote inaccessible forests, however,
are worked under the system of improvement selection, which
though a temporary expedient, has been reasonably satis
factory, leading to increased stocking. In Thailand, a
21
selection system on similar lines to that of B u m s is
universally adopted. In Indonesia, reliance is placed
mainly on artificial methods of regeneration,
E TREE SEED
Teak seeds freely almost every year and normally
each district can arrange for the collection of all seed
required for its own needs. Seed should only be collected
from selected stock; the dominant, mature, tall, well
shaped and straight trees. Trees growing in the open and
on village lands are generally avoided, unless they show
exceptionally good growth form. Considerable attention
should be paid to the collection of seed, as it is best
to collect from only healthy, good quality forest of medium
age. It has often been the custom to give out contracts
for collection. Unfortunately, these contractors often
collect from trees growing around the paddy fields. "Paddy
field" teak is generally of very poor quality, unsound and
over-branched. This may be due to the poorness of the
site. On the other hand, it is possible that the poor form
and branchy condition may be heritable. There is no need
to take the risk of producing plantation from what may be
unsound stock when plenty of seed is available from per
fectly sound stock.
22
Seed Collection
Tree seed is usually collected by forest guards
aided by day laborers, or by villagers on contract under
the supervision of forest guards. To ensure that seed of
the right quality is being collected and that the progress
is satisfactory, collections should be inspected frequently
by responsible officers.
Proper collections of seed demands special knowledge,
skill and attention; therefore, it is advisable to employ
staff and labor well trained and experienced in seed col
lections, and if such men are not available in sufficient
number, to train them,
A fair crop of seed is usually formed every year,
with fertile seeds being produced at an early age of fif
teen to twenty years.
Ripeness, or more generally, the stage at which the
fruits should best be collected, is a most important factor;
therefore, the collectors should be able to distinguish
immature from ripe and sound seed. Seed is not usually col
lected until it has started falling naturally or is ready
to fall, or has obviously changed color, or contracted
into the hard dry stage.
Collecting naturally fallen seed from the ground;
This method generally applies to those species with
large heavy fruits or seed which fall almost intact below
23
the parent tree, and which can easily be collected from
the ground. To ensure this, the ground below the selected
trees is generally cleaned and swept free of old seed
debris. Teak seed should never be collected directly from
standing or fallen trees.
Transportation and Seed Storage
As teak seed are readily procurable, there is no
necessity for seed storage. Fresh supplies of seeds are
used annually. If it is not sown immediately, seed should
be placed in dry storage in bags and boxes.
Forest tree seed is often collected a great distance
away from the region where it is to be used. It is packed
in little bags by village labor for short distances, or
packed in gunnysacks to be transported by village labor,
pack animals, motor trucks, or rail to the consuming cen
ters. The gunnysacks are usually double, that is, those
containing seed are enclosed in others of heavier material
in order to insure against damage from leakage.
Treatment of Seed
Treatment has been found to be efficient in hasten
ing the germination of teak seeds. A sufficient amount of
seeds are available at reasonable cost and the present
nursery practice insures timely and adequate planting
stocks; seed treatment therefore seems neither necessary
24
nor practical for the large amounts of seeds used in large
scale plantings.
Where the custom is to sow seed direct at stake, no
treatment is done as a rule. Where seed is germinated in
a nursery and the young seedlings transplanted, some form
of treatment is usually done. It should be mentioned that
treatment is not aimed so much at increasing the amount of
germination, but at inducing the seed to germinate earlier
than it normally would.
The simplest treatment consists of soaking the seed
in water from twenty-four to forty-eight hours before sow
ing; a second method consists of burning the seed just
long enough to break the tough outer covering. Good
results have been obtained by soaking in water twelve
hours, then spreading out to dry for forty-eight hours—
the whole process being repeated five times.
P NURSERY
Seedlings from direct sowings are available for
planting, and are often so used, especially those raised
in burned patches, but they do not possess a well developed
branching fibrous root system unless set out in nursery
beds, and are therefore not so suitable as properly grown
nursery stock; moreover, their digging, packing and trans
port are comparatively more expensive. Stock required for
25
transplants and stumps Is best raised in nurseries* Good
forest nurseries are, therefore, absolutely essential for
successful planting operations*
Temporary Nurseries
These are formed close to, actually on, the plant
ing area. Such nurseries are usually small and are
increased or decreased in number with demand. The nurser
ies are often advantageously maintained in mountainous
regions, where they afford an opportunity to grow each kind
of stock in the same vegetative zone as the area to be
planted. They are used for two to three years, or at most
for four or five years. They have the advantage of fertile,
fresh forest soil, conditions of climate and soil similar
to the planting area, and due to their short life, less
trouble with weeds, destructive insects and disease. On
good soil, the nursery is used for two years before some
plants are left to grow up as part of the plantation; on
poorer soil, a new nursery is made each year. The nursery
lies within or adjacent to the area to be planted.
Permanent Nurseries
Permanent nurseries are usually located near a
superintendent's residence. A large amount of labor is
required to work in a nursery, particularly for a period
of two or three months in rainy season (spring). The
permanent nurseries for teak have the decided advantage of
26
effective protection, satisfactory provisions for irriga
tion and manuring, sure labor supply, close supervision
and adequate arrangement for seed.
A permanent nursery should be situated close to a
forest colony or village, so that close supervision is
possible and sufficient labor accessible. A permanent
source of water supply is essential in most localities.
The actual nursery site should be selected on the
best available soil, and in a sheltered location. It
should be an average site where the soil is neither too
light nor too heavy, too wet nor too dry. The best
nursery site is forest land recently cleared* No overhead
shade is needed.
The first essential is to draw a detailed dimen
sional layout for the nursery. The shape, whenever
possible, should be rectangular or square, permanently
divided into rectangular or square blocks of suitable size,
depending on the slope and the proposed size of the beds.
Temporary nurseries are prepared because of the lack of
suitable soil or sites for permanent nurseries*
G PREPARATION OP NURSERY SEED BEDS
The soil is dug to a depth of about one foot end
powdered* Another foot to fifteen inches of soil is then
added. The beds measure about three feet wide and may be
21
of any length, with a space of about one and one-half feet
between them. The nurseries are usually located on a
gentle slope, and the length of the beds is in the direc
tion of the slope. The soil is porous, and the drainage
perfect. Bamboo is used to construct a supporting frame
work for the soil. This type of bed provides for easier
planting of seed and easier removal of the root at trans
planting time. Preparation starts at the beginning of the
rainy season to facilitate easier loosening of the soil.
(Figure l\.» 5)
Sowing
Seeds should be soaked in cold water for twenty-four
hours, then sown touching one another, covering the entire
surface of the prepared bed; the object being to get seed
lings with slender roots* The seeds are covered with a
layer of soil of the same depth as their diameter, about
three-fourths inches. It takes from two to three weeks
for germination, and they should be sown from the middle of
May to the middle of July. No watering is done during the
rainy season.
The usual practice has been to make four-foot wide
beds in July along the contour and sow the seed thereafter
in rows nine inches apart with four to six inches between
the seeds. The beds are hoed up before sowing and narrow
drains twelve to fifteen inches wide are dug between them.
m
f: i l -r e 4
PfmPAR; TIOM OF 5EKD dED
%
FiaURB 5
SEED BED WITH SUPPORTING T-nV.BOC FR/iMEWORK
30
the excavated soil being filing onto the bed (Lamb, 1957).
The beds are frequently weeded by hand. No other
soil working is done in the nurseries, but the soil remains
always loose, and never cakes. All weeds must be carefully
removed.
Insect Damage
Inse*ct damage is very common from the teak skeleton-
izer and the teak leaf defoliator, making it necessary to
spray with stomach poisons about once a week. If spray is
not available, it is necessary to pick the insects from the
plants and kill them.
Leaf Diseases
The brown spot disease is a fungus which causes
leaves to turn brown. It is caramon on the teak leaf and
has resulted in loss of leaves from nursery stock in
several large nurseries. The disease weakens and sometimes
kills seedlings, especially in very dense stands. Spray
ing seed beds with Bordeaus mixture or lime-sulphur at
intervals of a few weeks will give control.
If the seedlings grow too thickly, the root will
not develop properly, therefore it is necessary to thin the
beds during the middle of the first-year rainy season,
leaving the seedlings about two or three inches apart.
Careful watch is kept of the young plants to prevent
31
overgrowth of some and undergrowth of others. The
experienced nursery attendant will retard the growth of
the larger plants by trimming the leaf, thus giving the
smaller plant a better opportunity to develop. This is
usually done when the larger plants reach the size of
one-half inch in diameter at the collar. The seedling
should remain in the nursery bed for ten to twelve months
before transplanting. (Figure 6, 7)
32
FIGURE 6
T K i ^ - F I V E MONTHS OLD TEAK SEEDLINGS
^ c.-> * *-
r.
u>
%
PIGIIHE 7
OWE YEAR OLD TEAK SEEDLDIGS IK THE SEED BED
CHAPTER III
TEAK CULTURE
A PREPARATION OP LAND
When artificial regeneration has been decided -upon, -
the divisional working plan will give instruction as to the
compartments to be allotted to the new plantation center
and an idea as to the size of the area to be planted each
year. It is then the business of the officer in charge to
prepare what is known as a felling regeneration plan and
put this plan into operation.
Before the plan is drawn up, a detailed stockmap of
the regeneration block has to be made in order to ascertain
which parts are suitable for establishment of plantations.
As a rule, only a relatively small proportion of the whole
block will be suitable. The suitable site has to be mapped
and demarcated.
Felling
Undergrowth and bamboo are felled first. (Figure 8)
Felled bamboo should, if possible, be piled on the remains
of the logging camp. The object of this is to ensure that
there is plenty of material to produce a fierce fire which
31+
1
b’IGUBE G
UNDERGROWTIi AKD 3AMBOO /tRE FELLED FIRST
36
will completely kill off the root stock of the old clinnps.
If these are not killed, the new shoots will give a lot of
trouble in the plantation and cause a great deal of expense
in cutting back. On top of the bamboo and undergrowth, the
trees of the overstory are felled. By cutting those trees
last, the felled bamboo, etc., is compacted close to the
ground, and so will produce a hotter fire. (Figure 9)
This not only helps in killing off bamboo clumps, but
decreases the amount of slash left after the fire which
would have to be piled and burned again.
Cutting of undergrowth and bamboo should start
before the end of December, and the remaining trees should
be felled by the end of February,
Burning
During April winds are usual for a short time during
some part of the day. Burning is best done at a time of
day when the wind is not likely to be too strong. (Figure
10) Fires should be started from the lee side and con
tinued around the block on each side until the area is
burning from every direction. It is usually necessary to
have every available subordinate and forest villager on
the spot during burning to prevent the fire from getting
into adjoining protected areas. After the initial burning
the u n burned slash is piled and the area burned a second
time. (Figure 11)
KjJ
FIGURE 9
TREES 01/ OVERSTORY ARE FELLED
w
CD
FIGURE 10
BURHING TO CLEAR LAKD i\m) PREVENT
RE-GROWTH OF BAMBOO AND UNDERGROWTH
FIGURE 11
fHE UNTOÎILD SLASH IS FILED AND OT.NED ‘QIE
SECOÎÎD iIME
ko
Spacing and Staking
The most commonly used spacing Is 6 x 6 feet, with
plants set In straight lines. Six by six feet Is the
standard practice, though sometimes It Is Increased to
6 1/2 X 6 1/2 feet, or 6 x 9 feet. The spacing of teak
species In Burma, Thailand and India Is 6 x 6 feet square,
or 6 X 9 feet rectangular In areas of excessive weeds and
shrubs.
Staking Is done by using split bamboo stakes about
six feet long which are put Into the ground at a desired
spacing. Staking Is done by the laborers after burning
has been completed In April. (Figure 12)
B PLANTING
The planting stock usually consists of nursery-
raised seedlings and transplants, and sometimes of root
or shoot cuttings. Surplus seedlings from direct sowings,
especially from sowings made on burned patches, are also
used* for planting.
Time of Planting
The most suitable time for planting Is from mid-
June to mid-July, depending on the break of the monsoons.
Wherever the southwest monsoon Is relied upon, planting
should be ordinarily finished within three to four weeks
fPOTi the commencement of good rains, or by the middle of
kl
FIGURE 12
STAKIRG IS DONE BY USING SPLIT 3AMBC>0
42
August. The earlier the planting is done the better. Late
monsoon planting is generally unsuccessful.
Method of Planting
There are three methods for planting:
(a) Direct seeding
(b) Planting of stock
(c) Planting of cuttings
The standard method is planting of cuttings; direct
seeding also shows good results but it seems to be imprac
tical in most areas because of the expense to protect
them, which is much greater than planting of cuttings, and
the risk of losing young plants is also much greater.
Planting of stock is unpopular in plantations
because it is more expensive than the other two methods.
Planting of stock is used mainly in small areas .and for
experimental purposes only.
Direct seeding was the original method used in teak
plantations, but at the present time the planting of cut
tings (stump method) is preferred. However, direct seeding
is still used to fill in a plantation when there are not
enough stumps ready for planting a given area.
Most of the teak plantations in Thailand, India,
Burma, Indonesia and Trinidad have been established with
stump planting adopted from Nilambur, India and after the
pattern of the taungya system of Burma.
43
"Taungya" means literally "hill cultivation" and is
the Burmese name given to the practice of shifting cultiva
tion. It is a term well known now outside of Burma, and
a number of countries have adopted it. It is certainly
more harmonious than "agri-silvicultural method." In its
prittiitive form it consists of clearcutting of forest, burn
ing all the felled material because there are no marketable
trees to be worked, cropping the land for one year and then
moving on to destroy another area of forest land. This
method of cultivation is widespread throughout the union
of Burma and elsewhere. In its uncontrolled form it is
wasteful and may well be a dangerous practice; wasteful
because the timber on the ground is destroyed, and danger
ous because it exposes the bare soil on hillsides and may
lead to serious erosion and loss of soil (Kermode, 1 9 5 5 ) *
Direct Seeding
After the land has been prepared for planting and
staking has been completed, the seeds are sown near the
stake. Four or five seeds are placed in each spot notched
into the ground and covered without about three-fourths inch
of soil to prevent land erosion during the heavy rains.
Sowing should be done frcxn the middle of April to
the middle of June, so that the seeds will be well germi
nated during the rainy season which occurs in July, August
and September. This method is easier and cheaper in the
I
kk
beginning, but as the plants progress during the first year
it becomes increasingly expensive to protect them. It
requires many laborers to control the weeds, particularly
since they grow more rapidly than the trees during this
stage of development. Some of the tree seeds will not
germinate, leaving stakes without plants. These areas must
be replanted to prevent excessive growth of weeds.
Weed growth, if not controlled, will create a fire
hazard during the dry season. The replanting must be made
during the rainy season when the seedlings have germinated
and can easily be transplanted. To replant the area around
a bare stake, one or more seedlings are transplanted from
another stake or from the nurseries. This replanting
helps in weed control by reducing the area in which they
can grow.
Young teak grown by this method become very bushy
Instead of growing a long trunk, thus making it necessary
to prune the trees in order to increase height growth.
In Trinidad, plantations have been made by sowing
at stake and by the use of root and shoot cuttings (stump
plants). Sowing at stake has been tried in an attempt to
keep down the cost of establishment by eliminating nursery
costs. However, it has been found that the crop is much
less regular at the end of the first year, the plants are
mare likely to be damaged by careless gardeners in the
first few months, clearing costs are increased and the
45
e x tra c o s t o f c u ttin g and p l a c i n g s ta k e s b r in g s th e to ta l
fo r s o w in g t o n e a r ly th e same a m o u n t as f o r e s t a b l is h m e n t
by p la n tin g s tu m p p l a n t s . In re c e n t y e a rs , th e re fo re ,
e f f o r t h a s been c o n c e n tr a te d on a r e d u c t i o n o f n u rs e ry
c o s ts (L a m b , 1 9 $ ? ) .
In B u rm a , s o w in g i s done d i r e c t l y a t s ta k e .
U s u a lly th r e e o f f iv e se e d s a re n o tc h e d in to th e g ro u n d
a ro u n d e a c h s ta k e a t a b o u t s ix in c h e s d is ta n c e fr o m it.
T h is m e th o d is re g a rd e d as b e in g ra th e r b e h in d th e t im e s .
O n ly a fe w d i v i s i o n s e m p lo y i t . The d i v i s i o n s in w h ic h
it is e m p lo y e d do so b e c a u s e th e r a in fa ll is lo w ([|.5 in c h e s
to 6$ i n c h e s ) . A f t e r th e in itia l b re a k o f r a in , th e re a re
lik e ly to be h o t , d ry s p e lls in June, th e p e r io d d u r in g
w h ic h m o s t o f th e t r a n s p la n t i n g o f y o u n g s e e d li n g s fro m
n u r s e r ie s w o u ld be d o n e (K e rm o d e , 1 9 5 5 ) .
Planting of Stock
T h is is s ta n d a rd p r a c t ic e in a num ber o f d iv is io n s .
It is u s u a lly c o m p le te d b y m id - J u n e , The s e e d , h a v i n g
e ith e r been s c a tte re d in n u r s e r y b e d s o r m e r e ly p i l e d and
th e n s p re a k o u t, is le ft to g e r m in a t e . P la n t in g s ta rts as
s o o n as t h e seed c o a t c ra c k s and th e r a d i c l e e m e rg e s b u t
b e fo re o th e r ro o ts a p p e a r. T h e g e r m in a te d seed c a n be
m oved w i t h o u t damage and p l a n t e d in s lig h tly lo o s e n e d s o il
n e a r th e s ta k e . L a te r tr a n s p la n tin g is d on e i n some d i v i - r
s io n s w hen t h e s e e d li n g s h a v e p r o d u c e d tw o p a i r s o f re a l
i^6
leaves. It Is done by means of a trowel; a ball of earth
is moved with the plant to ensure that the young roots
receive minimum disturbance.
In India and Burma, the direct sowing and stump
planting methods were used. Experiments proved the stump
method to be far superior, and it is now the only method
used. In Thailand also, the stump method of planting is
used on all teak plantations.
Planting of Cuttings
Root and shoot cuttings, otherwise known as stumps,
are sometimes very successful in some broadleaved species
in the temperate forests. There has been a great deal of
experimental work done on stump planting of teak in recent
years so that it is necessary to deal with the subject
more fully.
Size of seedlings for stumping:
Stock for stumps is raised in nurseries. It is
generally larger and older than for entire plants. Healthy
seedlings, usually about one to two years old and about as
thick as the little or forefinger, are used. It has been
an unvarying experience that these small stumps give a full
percentage of success. Larger ones result in very heavy
casualties, and the shoots never develop as well as the
small stumps.
kl
The theory of the plantation Ranger at Aryankavn is
that the shoots from a fat stump can and do live on the
food contained in the stump for a long period, and there
is no incentive to produce roots during the monsoon.
They are caught napping when the rains end, and the food
supply in the stump is exhausted. Thin stumps, on the
other hand, have but a small stock of food for the new
shoots; roots are produced early, and the plant is well
established before the end of the monsoon (Browne, 1929).
The size of the stump should be measured at the collar with
calipers. The best size is one-half to three-fourths
inches in diameter.
Shape of stump:
The stump is the part beginning at the last pair of
buds just beneath the soil and extending to the end of the
tap root. The shape is much like that of a turnip and has
many hair roots.
Preparation of stump:
S e e d lin g s a re p u lle d out o f th e n u r s e r y .b e d s lik e
c a rro ts . The s te m s a r e c u t w ith a s h a rp k n if e le a v in g one
to tw o in c h e s a b o ve th e c o lla r . The r o o t i s p ru n e d t o a
le n g th o f a b o u t n in e in c h e s , and t h e s m a ll l a t e r a l r o o t s
a re tr im m e d o ff. The c u t t i n g is now re a d y f o r p la n tin g .
(S e e a l s o F ig u r e 13) A s h o r te r r o o t le n g th , a b o u t dow n t o
s ix in c h e s and t h e s te m a b o u t o n e - h a l f i n c h a b o ve th e la s t
1^8
Root Hair
Stump of Teak
Tap Root
■ Collar
FIGURE 13
STUMP. ROOT AND SHOOT CUTTING READY FOR PLANTING.
14.9
pair of buds, is sometimes used in climates with favorable
moisture conditions.
S tu m p s a r e t ie d in b u n d le s w ra p p e d i n t h e m o is t
g ra s s o r g re e n le a v e s , p a cke d i n g u n n ysa cks o r b a s k e ts ,
and t r a n s p o r t e d to th e p l a n t in g s it e and p la c e d i n th e
shade. They a re ta k e n o u t f o r p la n t in g as r e q u ir e d .
The s tu m p s m ay be k e p t a l i v e fro m one t o tw o w e e ks
if p la c e d in a c o o l ro o m . T h e y s h o u ld be c a r e f u lly
packed and k e p t m o is t , as e x p o s u r e to th e sun o r w in d is
lik e ly to s p o i l th e m q u i c k l y .
P la n t a t io n :
Land is cleared by burning and prepared for stump
planting by spacing and staking. (Figure II4.) The stumps
are planted during the rainy season under close depart
ment supervision. A crowbar is used for poking the plant
hole into the soil. The hole is vertical, and dug to a
depth exactly equal to the length of the root. The depth
is measured by inserting the stump. If the collar is
above the soil surface, the hole is deepened, and if it
is below the surface the hole is filled until the exact
depth is obtained. The stump is inserted in the hole,
with the collar of the stump about three-fourths inch
above the soil, (Figure 15) The crowbar is used to tamp
the soil tightly against the stump. It is considered
essential.to success that the soil be absolutely firm all
o
? \ =^_j
F lfJU H B 14
CLEARÜJj t A r 0 -^11 Q PREPAf-tKD FOR ST^'MP P LA N ’ITIÎG
■ 51
FIGURE 15
THE STUMPS ARE PLANTED IN THE GROUND
and t h e y o u n g l e a p g r o w s u p f r o m THE BUD
52
around the stump, with no air spaces, and that the hole be
exactly as deep as the root is long. The test of proper
planting is to try pulling the stump from the ground by
hand. It is almost impossible to do so if properly planted,
but to get this firm packing requires considerable practice.
The young leaf will begin to grow up from the bud in
one or two weeks. (Figure 15)
C TENDING IN PLANTATIONS
Weeding
Weedings are regularly carried out during the first
year. During the first and second year two weedings are
usually necessary, the first in June-July and the second
in September-October. Whether the first weeding in the
second year of plantation is carried out properly or
improperly will make for the success or failure of the
work. Bamboo, if not killed by fire, needs a lot of atten
tion. The early vegetation competing with the young plants
is largely coppice shoots from trees having been removed.
These sprouts will form a natural undergrowth, vhich should
be destroyed whenever possible, applying the same method as
to kill the bamboo. Cutting or breaking of the sprouts is
effective. New sprouts will come up later during the rains
which will not interfere with the crop. Intensive cultural
operations consist of cutting back all growth which inter
feres with the development of valuable species, particularly
I 53
with the new plantation. I.e., advanced growth of teak
and other species, the removal of bamboos, climber cutting
and cleaning in congested patches of teak reproduction.
Closing of Opening
Closing of openings should be done as soon as it is
evident that there have been failures at stakes, A stock
should be kept on hand so that necessary transplanting may
be done during the first year. It is not worthwhile to do
much planting after the end of August. Before this time,
comes up, however, constant inspections should be made and
openings closed up as necessary.
In the second year, no rules can be laid down. The
amount of weeding needed depends upon the growth of the
teak and on the density and vigor of the invading weeds.
Where stump planting has been done and growth has been
satisfactory, one weeding in late June followed by climber
cutting and a light weeding in September may be all that is
needed. With other methods of planting, it is generally
the practice to weed three times during the rains, the
first in late May or early June, the second in July or
August, and the third in September.
The term weeding is rather misleading as it indi
cates that weeds are pulled out. This is not the case;
’’weeding” is done by crews of workmen moving along the
lines of plants and slashing everything down to nearly
5k
ground level. It has sometimes been the custom to issue
instructions that no shoots of tree species, whether from
coppice or from broadcast accessory species, should be cut
during weeding.
Closing of openings in the second year is of doubt
ful value as it is found that the new plants are rarely
able to take their place in the stand. If done, the
replanting should be carried out by means of stumps, which
should be planted before the break of rains.
From the third year on, weeding or cleaning are done
only when necessary. With careful selection of sites and
the various operations properly and duly executed, very
little tending is necessary.
D TEIINNING
In subsequent years, the young plantation can be
considered to be established when it is out of danger from
weeds and fire. If fire occurs at this stage of develop
ment the damage done is not sufficiently great to necessi
tate the cutting of sprouts. Usually a plantation can be
considered established a year before the first thinning is
due.
Instructions have been laid down that thinnings
should be done as soon as the crowns start touching each
other. In practice, however, this cannot be strictly
followed due to financial limitations. It is, therefore.
55
not uncommon that thinnings have been unduly delayed in
many plantations. Besides adverse effects on the growth
and development of the trees, these neglected thinnings
have been found to cause very serious damage to the soil
because of erosion. In such plantations the forest
floors have deficient undergrowth which results in
inadequate cover and protection.
The first thinning in a young teak plantation should
be done when the average height of the crop is twenty-five
to thirty feet and the second when the average height is
thirty-five to forty-five feet. The dates of those early
thinnings depend on the quality of the crop. A really good
plantation may have to be thinned after four growing
seasons while a bad one may wait until seven or eight
years (Kermode, 1 9 5 5 ) .
In Thailand, the first thinning of teak plantation
is at the age of five to seven years, and subsequent thin
nings at about five-year intervals. It is, however, inad
visable that any fixed time should be blindly adhered to,
as the growth of teak varies greatly with localities,
method and intensity of tending. On good soil and with the
various operations properly and duly carried out, a planta
tion may be ripe for the first thinning as early as the
third or fourth year (Mahaphol, 1 9 5 4 ) •
The old practice in thinning was not to touch the
stand until about two-thirds of the stems were pruned
56
naturally. This was following European practice and has
been definitely shown to be unsuitable for a tropical
species like teak. It resulted not only in loss of
increment but meant that the dense shade prevented the
development of an undergrowth. It was further found that
trees which had been kept too dense failed to respond to
thinning.
It is now the custom to thin young plantations
before sign of stagnation begins to appear. In teak
plantations this is more difficult to decide than in
plantations of some other species, because teak keeps a
remarkably level canopy and it is difficult to decide on
dominations, etc., in the early stages.
In India, these crops are thinned to the spacing
given in the "All India Yield Table for Plantation Teak,"
and the following formula is used for spacing between
stems: D = 3/2 (d + 3) where D = distance in feet between
stems, d = average diameter in inches. Thinning carried
out according to the above formula approximated a C-grade^
thinning. The first thinning is carried out v^en the
height of dominant stems is twenty-five to thirty feet and
the second thinning when they are thirty-five to forty
feet high. The yield table indicates that in the initial
1 C-grade thinning; Planted on average sites at 6 x 6
foot spacing. The first thinning is carried out when the
average tree is eight inches d.b.h.
57
stages the total height of the tree, up to forty feet, is
independent of site quality (Takle and Mujumdar, 1957).
E INJURIES AND PROTECTION
Insects
Teak is liable to attack by e skeletonizer (Hapalis
Kachaeralis) and a defoliator (Hyblaea puera)♦ Usually
the damage is localized, but occasionally the insect popu
lation increases to epidemic number and vast areas are
affected. Mixed stands, which harbor predators and para
sites of teak defoliator and skeletonizer, are favored by
foresters for reasons of biological control of the pests.
Extensive and continuous plantations are avoided and strips
of mixed forest are left standing in plantation areas with
the same object.
Damage caused by the so-called bee-hole borer
(Larva of Duomitus ceramicus) which bores holes in the
living teak trees is considerable. The boring does not
kill the trees but causes holes in the heart-wood, which
can be detected only after the timber is harvested.
Caterpillars defoliating a teak tree can be killed
by spraying or dusting with stomach-poisons, but this
method can never be regarded as a practical measure until
plantations can be reliably patrolled for the detection of
incipient outbreaks, and spraying operations can be carried
out with the celerity of a fire-fighting organization.
58
unhampered by sanctions and budget restrictions { Beeson,
1934).
Tho u ^ white-anta have been found to attack dead
teak sap-wood, the heart-wood has always been left immune
to this injury. On moist loose soil, a few teak planta
tions have been found dead due to root destruction by these
insects. It has not been proven whether the ant actually
causes the death or the attack merely leads to death from
other causes.
The Teak Canker-grub (Dihammus cervinus)
One of the disadvantages of pure plantations of
fast growing species in semi-tropical forests appears to
be their liability to the attack by large bores and the
susceptibility to injury by larvae of moths and beetles.
In recent years, it has become evident that teak planta
tions have to contend against a pest of considerable
importance, a longicom beetle (Dihammus cervinus Hope—
family--Carambycida)•
This species is responsible for the formation of
large spherical swellings at the base of, or a short dis
tance up the stem of, teak saplings. The swellings are
often heavily fissured or cankered and persist for
several years.
The beetles begin to appear in April with the onset
of the rainy season and feed on the soft bark of saplings,
59
gnawing shallow irregular patches. They are one-half to
one inch long and of a uniform brown color like several
other allied species. The eggs are laid on the lower part
of the tree trunk. During the growing season the larva
bores into the region of the inner bark and sap-wood. At
first, the tunnels are broad and flattened and are usually
concentrated in an irregular patch, but later they are
carried into the heart-wood and tend to run longitudinally
upwards or downwards. Most of the damage is done near the
ground. Hidden by undergrowth, it often escapes notice,
but a single sapling may have two or more separate cankers,
the highest rarely being above three feet. (%gure l6)
Possible control measures:
Theoretically, the most efficient and cheapest
protective measure is the killing of the early stage larva
by slitting the bark tunnels in the first months of
development, i.e., in July or August, Oviposition on the
lower parts of the trunk may be prevented by deterrents
such as tar, creosote, or carbolineum painted on early in
May. The cost of materials is likely to be prohibitive
but experiments are desirable.
Oviposition may be prevented by a barrier such as
wrapping with grass, shrubs, etc. The undergrowth, which
is usually cut back at the time when the beetles are ovi
positing, can be stacked upright in sheaves around the
60
A, Typical cankers on B. Shovfs a teak sapling
yoimg teak sapling broken in two to a
canker
i-’IGlJRE 16
THE TEAK CAllKER-GRUB
I
i 61
trunk of the tree and tied in place with two or three
twists of grass or creeper so as to conceal the bark
entirely from ground level to the lower leaves (Beeson,
1 9 2 5 ).
Fire
Teak in young stages is susceptible to damage by
fire. In the grassy open forests with annual fires there
is hardly any reproduction of the species. Once the seed
ling is established, it exhibits remarkable vitality by
sprouting after the fire. As the sapling matures into a
tree, it becomes increasingly susceptible to fire. Much
unsoudness in teak timber is due to fires. Lig^t fire
immediately after clearcutting is said to stimulate cop
pice growth.
A forest fire seems to have a beneficial effect on
teak regeneration by destroying the more sensitive seeds
and killing off the evergreen undergrowth, giving the
more resistant teak seeds and seedlings a better chance to
develop. In the dry forests, though in certain localities
fire may do some good, it does great havoc to teak, killing
off the seedlings in very hot dry areas and causing cankers
and hollows in big trees. Damage caused by fire in such a
forest is considerable both to live and dead fallen trees.
Although the law prohibits setting fire to forests and its
violation results in a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
62
no serious and systematic fire protection has been
enforced to any practical advantage. Setting fire to
forests— be It to hunt, to Increase forage growth, to
clear one ^s way In the forest, or just for fun— and burn
ing of shifting cultivations are common practices done
with little regard as to the possibility of boundless
spread of fire and the Irreparable damage caused.
Climatic
Injuries caused by adverse climatic conditions are
not serious. Teak Is susceptible to frost but has power
of recovery. Except In the northern division of India,
frost Is unknown In the teak zone. Heavy fellings are
avoided In frost localities with a view to providing cover
for the young plants. Windfalls may occasionally occur
but these are rare and not of a serious nature. Drought
may cause some deaths In young unestablished seedlings In
bad years, but this Is again exceptional and the damages
negligible.
Animals
Great damage Is done to the plantations and regener
ated areas by sambhar (Rusa unlcolor). cheetal (Axis axis)
and bison who peel off the succulent bark of young stems.
Frequently saplings are killed outright but usually the
wounds occlude. These Injuries Influence the rate of
63
growth. In view of vast areas, artificial fences are out
of the question. Free shooting of cheetal and sambhar near
the regenerated area and plantations is permitted to
minimize the damage.
Grazing
So far, cattle grazing in the forests is not con
trolled. Some damage caused by tramping does occur, but
not to a serious degree, as the cattle population is
comparatively small in the teak region.
Teak is not so readily browsed as most of its asso
ciates and resists effects of grazing; however, it may
become harmful in young stands as the tender stems are
easily trampled. Medium grazing is beneficial in that it
reduces grass and subsequent fire damage.
Parasite and Epiphytic Plants
In some localities Ficuses are extremely bad and do
great damage to teak by growing on it, gradually develop
ing and finally completely binding it, paralyzing its
growth and subjecting it to slow death. All fiscus-
bound teak are earmarked for felling. This may, to some
extent, be regarded as a check on the spread of the pest.
Loranthuses are occasionally found on teak and, in
some exposed and gregarious stands, may locally be quite
serious. On the whole, however, the injuries are negligi
ble and have not thus far received any serious attention.
64
F RATE OP GROWTH
In plantation, teak raised from one year old stumps
may attain an average height of about five feet by the end
of the first rain, (Figure 2) In favorable locations,
e.g., on well drained alluvial deposits along stream banks,
individual stems may scale a height of nine to thirteen
feet in the same season, (See Table I)
There is a wide range of diversity in the rates of
growths in different localities due to varying soil,
climatic and other environmental conditions. On deep,
fertile, well drained soil along stream banks, the growth
rate is exceptional as compared to those growing on a hill
side where the soil is less fertile, shallower and drier.
Teak trees have been found growing on rich alluvial
soils, which attained a girth at breast height of seven
feet in sixty years whereas many others of the same girth
have been measured- which took from two hundred fifty to
three hundred years to reach this size.
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION
Production
PRODUCTION OP TEAK REPORTED FOR THE YEAR 1955
Roundwood
Sawn
Logs Poles Fuel
Figures in 1,000 cubic meters
Burma Not available 59.9
India 206 195 69 55.7
Indonesia 575 — 875 10
Thailand 285*
^•Roundwood equivalent of sawn timber♦
In Burma, the sustained yield capacity of teak forest
is estimated to be 250,000 tons of roundwood, and their aim
is to reach this figure•
Owing to the ever-increasing demand for teak wood,
and the limited scope for expansion of teak forests owing
to population pressure, ways and means are being sought in
Indonesia to increase production from the area at present
under teak by reduction of waste and improved silviculture,
65
66
Measures contemplated are the rehabilitation of degraded
stands, better tending and protection of plantations.
Installation of portable sawnllls near the forest for
profitable conversion Into marketable timber of logs at
present uneconomic to exploit* Further, special research
Is being conducted to evolve new structure designs,
permitting a more rational use of timber.
In Thailand and India, also, portable sawmills are
Installed near the forests to make for fuller exploita
tion.
Recent inventories carried out in the three north
ern provinces In Thailand have revealed that there is a
serious deficit In older age classes, and large-scale
Illicit fellings have greatly depleted the middle age
classes. It is Inevitable, therefore, that the output
of teak wood will be greatly reduced In the near future,
and this state of affairs will continue for a considerable
number of years.
Trade
All the teak producing countries except India,
from which exports were negligible, reported exports
for the year 1956 as follows:
67
Roundwood Sawn wood
In 1,000 cu, meters
Burma 7*6 72.9
Indonesia 8.6 1.2
Ttiailand 12 .]+ 76.5
Laos .6 — —
Total 26.2 150.6
As teak is an important item of export earning
foreign exchange, it is in the interest of the producing
countries of the region to reduce domestic consumption and
encourage its substitution by local non-teak species.
This change would be greatly expedited if cheap preserva
tion methods for the treatment of non-durable timbers,
likely to be used as substitutes for teak, could be found
and made popular. Research on cheap methods of treatment,
using locally made preservative insofar as feasible, was
therefore considered of high priority.
The shortage of shipping facilities and high
freight rates charged by shipping firms were serious
obstacles to the expansion of trade.
Prices
The prices for teak for all categories have risen
in all producing countries, although the increase was not
appreciable in Indonesia, Œhis upward trend of prices
68
discernible over the last several years has made possible
the exploitation of teak stands that have so far been
uneconomical to work.
On the other hand, there Is some danger of eventual
substitution of teak If this upward price trend continues
for any length of time. In order to stabilize price at an
economic level, Burma Is attempting reduction In production
cost by Improved extraction methods. Thailand Is trying
modified sale methods by making a proportion of teak logs
available to sawmlllers at a controlled price, as opposed
to competitive price through auction sales.
Export prices, especially, have also increased
sharply in the period under review, mainly because of
higher freight rates charged by shipping firms (Anony
mous, 1957).
LITERATURE CITED
LITERATURE CITED
Anonymous, "Teak,” School section, Burmese Forester,
vol. 5f no. 1, 1955» p. 59.
Anonymous, "Report of the second session of the teak
sub-commission” second session, 1957, pp. 19-20.
Alphen DeVeer, P.J., and others, "Teak cultivation in
Java,” FAG. Tropical Sllviculture-Sylviculture
tropicale-Sllviculture tropical, vol. II, 1957,
p. 2l6.
Aung Din, U., Huberman, M, A., and Haig, I. I., FAQ.
Tropical Silviculture, vol. 1, 1958, pp.&9-72.
Banljbhatana Duslt,, "Teak Forest of Thailand," FAQ.
Tropical SiIviculture-Sylviculture tropicale-
Silviculture tropical, vol. II, 1957, PP. 194-204.
Beeson, C, P. G., "The biological control of teak defolia
tors,” Indian Forester, vol. LX, no. 10, 193^4-,
PP. 627-683.
, "The Teak Canker-Grub, Dihammus Curvinus,"
Indian Forester, vol. LI, no. 5, 1925, pp. 188-191.
Borrowes, Bourke D., "Some miscellaneous notes on big trees
in Siam," Indian Forester, vol. LIII, no. 6, 1927,
pp. 316-319 .
Brooks, R. L., "Notes on pure teak plantations in Trinidad,"
Caribbean Forester, vol. 3, no. 1, I9I4JI, pp. 25-28.
Brovme, R, S., "Report on a tour of inspection of seme teak
plantations in the State of Travaneore,” Indian
Forester, vol. LV, no. 2, 1929, p. 63O.
Champion, H. G., "Teak Abnormalities," Indian Forester,
vol. LVII, no. 3, 1931, pp. lOli-llO.
Coster, Ir. CH., "Burning on areas to be planted with teak,"
Indian Forestep. vol. LVIII, no. 5, 1932, p. 288.
Divekar, M. V., "Early stump planting of teak in Kanara
North Division," Indian Forester, vol. LIX. no. 7.
1933, pp. 584-588.
70
71
Grlesinger, E., PAO. Tree Planting Practices In Temperate
Asia, Burma, India, Pakistan, no. ll;, 1959, pp.
Hamilton, J. D., "Conclusion based on a geological examina
tion of teak bearing rock in Burma," Indian Forester.
vol. LIII, no. 2, 1927, pp. 88-90.
, "Teak Bearing Rocks," Indian Forester, vol. LVI,
no, 1930, p. 156.
Howard, L., The Timbers of the World. Teak (Tectona
grandis Linn. F.) India, Burma, Siam, Java, 1951,
pp. 578-581.
Kermode, C. W. D . , "Regeneration with the Aid of Taungya,"
Burmese Forester, vol. V, no. 2 (December, 1955),
pp. 86-9^
_______ , "Teak," FAO. Tropical Sjiviculture-Sylviculture
tropicale-SiIvi culture tropical, vol. 11, 1957,
pp. 186-177.
Lamb, A, F. D . , "Teak," PAO. Tropical SiIviculture-Sylvi
culture tropicale-Silvicultura tropical, vol. 11,
19^7, pp. 179-l8k.
Long, A., "Burma Teak," Burmese Forester, vol. 5, no. 1,
1955, p. 17.
Mahaphol, S., Teak in Thailand. Royal Forest Department,
Ministry of Agriculture, 195^4, PP* 1-20.
Mohanty, A. P., "Progress of Teak Plantation in Angul,"
Burmese Forester, vol. 82, no. If, 1956, pp. 167-
199.
San Tun Aung, U, M. A., "Regeneration of teak in Burma,"
Burmese Forester, vol. 5, no. 2, 1955, p. 106.
Subramanian, B. A., "Teak plantations in the Andamans,"
Growth and Development of Teak. Indian Forester,
vol. 82, no. if, 1955, p. 192.
Suvamasuddhi Khid., Some Commercial Timber of Thailand.
"Tectona Grandis Linn P.," 1950, pp. jf-if^.
72
Takle, G. G,, and Muj\amdar, H. B,, "Increasing Growth
and Natural Regeneration of Teak," FAQ, Tropical
Silviculture-Sylviculture troplcale-Silvicultura
tropical, vol. 11 , 1957, p. 238.
Tuggerse, M. S., "Viability of Weathered Teak Seed,"
Indian Forester, vol. LIV, no. 10, 1928, p. 5i|-3#
APPENDIX
EXPLANATION OP APPENDIX TABLES
The following general rate of growth has been
calculated by measuring and counting annual rings on
14.00 teak stumps situated in many localities, on various
kinds of soil and different altitudes (Table 2, Mahaphol,
1951^).
Table 3 shows the number of years it takes for teak
trees in Northern Thailand to attain seven feet in girth
on various classes of soils as far as has been ascertained
to date (Mahaphol, 19514-)*
The height growths of 609 teak trees, growing under
varying conditions, have been measured with instruments
and the following information is worthy of record.
The tree does not usually form a clear well-defined
bole until it has attained a girth of four feet at breast
height; at this girth the length of the bole averages
slightly above half the total height of the tree. The
tree completes its principal h e i ^ t growth, which averages
about 108 feet, when it has attained a girth at breast
height of five to six feet. The longest bole measured was
found to be ninety-six feet in length (Table I4., Mahaphol,
1951|.) # The following quotation discusses the general
7k
75
h e i ^ t growth of different girth classes, calculated from
the above measurements:
Teak plantations in Andamans were started in
1883, and continued spasmodically* From I883 to 1889,
teak and padauk were raised in mixture but the former*
soon outgrew and suppressed the latter. The teak has
done well both on padauk soil and on evergreen soil,
but rather better on the former than the latter. The
cultivation of teak promises to be highly successful
and to be more remunerative than that of indigenous
padauk; the growth is nearly, if not absolutely, up
to the average of Burma (Subramaniam, 1955).
(Table 5)
In Burma, the rates of growth of teak in lower
Chindwin division and upper Chindwin division as given in
their respective working plans are as follows:
Lower Chindwin Rainfall Monywa
Division about 30 inches
Patalon Working
Circle
Age to girth 6 *6" 113 years
Age to girth 7*6" 132 years
Upper Chindwin Rainfall Mawlaik
Division about 65 inches
Mawku Reserve
Age to girth 6 *6 " Dry forest 166 years
Moist forest II4.O years
Age to girth 7*6" Dry forest 194 years
Moist forest 170 years
Ahlaw Reserve
Age to girth 6 *6" Dry forest 139 years
Moist forest 159 years
76
Ahlaw Reserve (cont.)
Age to girth 7*6” Dry forest l68 years
Moist forest l85 years
Teak, instead of growing faster with the increase
in rainfall, becomes slower in growth. Although this is
contrary to our expectation, an explanation is available.
In moist forests with heavier rainfall, the canopy is
very dense. Hence the competition for light being very
keen, the growth of girth is slow as compared with dry
forests where the canopy is more or less open. The
faster growth of teak trees in the moist forest of Mawku
reserve may be due to selecting teak stumps in open areas
and in flats (San Tun Aung, 1955)#
77
DEFINITIONS
Stumps. A root and shoot cutting. The seedlings
are dug up from the nursery at planting
time. The stem is cut off to leave only
about one inch remaining and the roots
all trimmed off, leaving the tap root
only.
Stumps planting. This method of planting is used on all
teak plantations.
Taungya. The Burmese name given to the practice
of shifting cultivation and literally
hill cultivation.
Taungya system. The new forest crop is started in
conjunction with agricultural crops.
Teak. Normally a medium-sized tree. Deciduous,
elliptical, broad leaves. (Tectona
grandis Linn.)
Tropical. Mean annual temperature over 75° P.;
mean January temperature over 65° P.
Cold season short or absent. Prost
and snow unknown.
78
TABLE 1
AVERAGE HEIGHTS (IN MEIERS) OP TEAK PLANTATION
Year of Prae Lampang Tak
Forma Sivision Division Division
tion Huey Huey Me Ta Me Baud Tfl Chai
Kam Nan Rai Prae Prae Lampang Sawankalok
1931 10.52
1931). 9.78
1937 11.43
191)0 9.71
191)1 15.68
191)2 6*5o 10.76 15.00 13.70
191)3 10.62 14.89 13.69 16.50
191)1) 14.12 16.19
191)5 14.90 12.91 13.35 15.14
191)6 9.87 12.10 9.22
191)7 9.12 11.96
191)8 11.72 11.76
191)9 5.54 10.81 7.98
1950 7.77 7.00 5.80
1951 7.07 5.81 6.48
1952 4.46 4.37 3.10
1953 0.34 2.55 2.20
1951) 0.74
Teak Plantation from Various Regeneration Centers in
North Thailand (measured in November and December, 195i+)
79
TABLE 2
GROWTH R A Œ BASED ON ANNUAL RINGS
Girth Number Time period from
at breast height of one girth measurement
in feet and inches Years to the next
Feet Inches
0 0 0
27
1 6 27
27
3 0 5i|.
25
h 6 79
k2
6 0 121
32
7 0 153
The rate of growth has been calculated by measuring
and counting annual rings on 1^.00 teak stumps situated in
many localities on various kinds of soil and different
altitudes.
TABLE 3
NUMBER OF TEARS AT SEVEN-FOOT GIRTH ON VARIOUS CLASSES OF SOIL
Girth at Breast Height Number of Tears Soil of Underlying Rocks
7 feet 85 Well-drained
basin deposit &
7 feet 113 Limestone
7 feet 160 Shale and
sandstone
7 feet 170 Metamorphic
61
.TABLE I|.
THE GENERAL HEIGHT GROWTH OP DIFFERENT GIRTH
CLASSES CALCULATED PROM THE ABOVE MEASUREMENTS
Girth at Corresponding Length of bole
breast heig&t in height of tree in feet
feet and inches in feet
Feet Inches
1 6 57 -
3 0 79 -
k 6 96 51^
6 0 106 57
7 0 112 57
Th.ese figures must be treated as only provisional
pending more reliable figures from Sample Plots and
Increment Plots which are now being established through
out the country.
82
TABLE 5
TEAK PLANTATIONS WERE STARTED IN I883.
MEASUREMENTS RECORDED IN 1910
Year of Age In Mean Girth
Planting Years in Inches
1890 20 32
1889 21 ■ 33
1887 23 33
1663 27 29
MEASUREMENTS FOR THE SAME PLANTATION TAKEN IN 19%]^
Year of Age In Mid-girth
Planting In inches Height
Years
1889 25 28
1887 27 36
1883 21 ko 70*6"
83
EXPLANATION TEAK AMORMALITIES
Figure 17. Die temate form is by no means uncommon and
might have been expected to occur. The
development of whorls of three leaves in place
of the standard pair is of frequent occurrence
in opposite leaved species in extra vigorous
plants or shoots.
Figure 16, In which the leaves are normal but the
phyllotaxis is changed from opposite decas-
sate to alternate spiral, is of special
interest as an illustration of reversion to
what is believed to have been the original con
dition, The picture shows that the leaves
are perfectly normal and the stem, though
somewhat zigzag, does not significantly
diverge from the straight.
Figure 19. The normal leaves arranged alternately in two
ranks, differing from Figure l8 only in the
last mentioned feature.
Figure 20, It is very uncommon, in fact only one example
has been found so far. The plant is quite
normal except that one pair of leaves is
replaced by a partially doubled leaf on one
8i^
side of the stem. It causes some disturbance
of the normal four ranks, but to no great
extent.
Figure 21. With more or less palmately lobed leaves, this
would not call for mention were it not so
unusual for teak to vary in this respect.
Only one example has been met with hitherto.
The plant had been grown from a stump which
produced two shoots on both of which all the
leaves were nearly symmetrical, deeply three-
lobed, the indentations running right to the
midrib, and so giving the central lobe the
appearance of a separate stalked leaflet.
85
FIGURE 17
TEAK WITH TERHATE LEAVES. SHOOTS OF 1929 WITH SIX
WELL-DEVELOPED WHORLS OF THREE LEAVES EACH
-*o
('*
/L
FIGURE 18
TEAK, LEAVES NORKAL BUT ALTERNATE AND SPIR AL:.i imR,ANGED
FIGURE 19
TEAK, LEAVES NORMAL BUT ALTERNATE AND BIFORIOUS
CD
CD
90
FIGURE 20
TEAK, LEAVES MOSTLY NORMAL, BUT ONE CR MORE PAIRS FUSED TOGETHER
89
FIGURE 21
TEAK W ITH POUR ALTERNATE LEAVES FOLLOWED BY THREE WHORLS
OF THREE, AND AT THE TO P , TWO DECUSSATE F A IR S ALMOST ON
THE SAME L E V E L . THE S ID E SHOOTS FROM THE BASE ARE NORMAL
SHOOT OF 1929.