Drying defects were quantitatively assessed from the identical timbers of solar, air and steam kiln drying. The stresses in the form of moisture gradients developed in these drying methods were determined. Drying defects were found dependent on the stresses. The quality of the solar dried timber was superior due to reduction of drying stresses because of rehumidification inside the solar kiln during the night.

From 1966 up to 1990 the Forest Department has raised a massive plantation of 125,000 hectares with Sonneratia apetala and Avicennia officinalis. However, due to rapid rise in ground level some areas in the coastal belt are now unsuitable for mangrove plantations. The Forest Department, therefore, tried some mcsophytic species in such areas. Seven non­ mangrove namely, Acacia nilotica, Albizia procera, Albizia lebbek, Pongatnia pinnata, Casuarina equisetifolia, Samanea saman and Hibiscus populanaeous were observed to exist in the mangrove areas.