Land capability evaluation for soils ofthe High Terraces (Madhupur Tract) and of the Tertiary Hills has been done according to FAO’s framework for land evaluation. Parametric limitation indices suggested by Sys for use of the FAO system have been followed. General Soil Types were considered as the land units for rating the actual and potential classes based on soil and climatic characteristics as well as the environmental conditions.

Madhupur Tract area has a less favourable climatic condition for growing oilpalm than the northern and eastern hilly areas. Only well to imperfectly drained soils of the Madhupur Tract and of the Tertiary Hills have been found to be suitable to very suitable for growing oilpalm. Frequent flooding on Grey Terrace Soils and on Grey Piedmont Soils have been considered as a serious limitation for this crop. Occasionally flooded Grey Terrace Soils, Grey Piedmont Soils and the steeply sloping (> 30%) Brown Hill Soils have been rated as marginally suitable for this crop.

A root rot disease of Gamar (Gmelina arborea Linn.) in forest nursery is reported. A review of the literature is provided. The symptoms of the disease and the extent of damage have been described. Four fungi were isolated from diseased seedlings. Fusarium solani ( Mart. ) Sacc. has been found to be responsible for the root rot. The disease was practically controlled by a single application of the fungicide Granosan M, at the rate of 8g per 9L of water. The fungicide was applied as a soil drench on to areas of soil surrounding dead, dying and healthy seedlings.

A high degree of dimensional stability was obtained by epoxy treatment of Corsican pine (Pinus nigra) wood. It was found that the degree of dimensional stability was strongly and positively correlated with the level of substitution obtained. The dimensional stability obtained was of permanent nature and was practically unaffected by quite severe simulated weathering. The introduced material was in the cell wall and probably covalently bonded to the same.

The wood specimens, chemically modified by propylene oxide under 10 bar Na pressure and 130°C temperature for 90 minutes, were tested for sorption at various relative humidities. Typical isotherms for normal pine wood were also found with controls, whereas, a noticeable change in the isotherms was observed with modified specimens. At low values of RH the treated specimens absorbed and retained less moisture than the controls. Above about 55 % RH the modified wood started to absorb increasing quantities ofmoisture and in the 95-100% RH region the EMC of treated wood was slightly greater than that of controls.

Reduction, in the degree of swelling of treated specimens compared to that of controls was reasonably constant throughout the sorption range. High moisture sorption at high levels of RH was not accompanied by a corresponding increase in dimensional change. Large water uptake was probably due to the rigid bulky propane chains retaining the cell walls in a swollen but relatively porous state. Treatment with propylene oxide, thus, led to significant improvement in dimensional stability throughout the hygroscopic range.