Pati-pata (Schumannianthus dichotomd) grows well in the land
whiah is unsuitable for any other agricultural crop (jute, rice, etc.).
Cultivation of pati-pata ia less expensive than that of jute or rice,
giving a good economic return. An experiment was conducted
to determine the growch and survival of a pati-pata plantation
during the first year after planting. Both rhizome and branch cutting
were used as propagating material for plantation. The results indicate
that rhizomes are significantly more suitable than branch cutting for
survival, average number of new culms produced and average height
growth. No significant difference was found among the localities other
than in Sylhet for average number of new culm produced and average
height growth in rhizome planting.

An economic analysis ofi* neutral sulphite anthraquinone (NS—
AQ) pulping of jute showed a saving of about Tk 2,500/ADt of
bleached pulp compared with comparable kraft pulping off jute. This
means a saving of about Tk 112.5 million for a mill producing
45,000 tons of pulp annually. It was further assessed that SMR white
and tossa grades of jute, and jute cutting are cheaper raw materials
for NS—AQ pulping as against kraft pulping of bamboo.

Eucalyptus camaldulensis is one of the promising fastgrowing
exotics which is suitable for plantation in alimatia and edaphic conditions
of Bangladesh. The paper describes the relationship between age
and dominant height and also between volume, age, basal area and
dominant height of the species by regression analysis

Four nonlinear models were tried to determine the age-dominant
height relationship. The results of the fitted models were examined.
Dominant height=3.3860 (age) 07168 seemed to be a suitable
model.
Three different models were tried for volume yield prediction.
The equation
Log (MAI)=—0.0158469 — 0.741198 log A+0.797215 log B
+ 0.0039315 log H dom+0.243216 log (A H doM )
was selected for yield prediction.

No definite cutting age is maintained for extraction of bamboo
for pulp and paper industries in Bangladesh. In this study an attempt
has been made to find out the optimum cutting cycle for muli bamboo
(Melocanna baccifera} from the point of view of pulp yield and quality.
The results show that bleachable grade of pulp is obtained at a lower
cooking time with younger bamboos (9 months old) than those of higher
age groups. The pulp yield at a given point of delignification is the
highest w’th 21 months old bamboos- Physical strengh properties of
the pulp are independent of age. Thus, it seems that 21 months old
muli bamboo is better for pulping.

It is an attempt to prepare biomass tables for young trees of
the three Eucalyptus species grown in Bangladesh. The paper gives
height-diameter at breast height (dbh)-biomass, and dbh-biomass
production relationships along with required tables and conversion
factors.

Usefulness of volume table for teak (Tectona grandis) aan hardly
be overemphasized. The paper deals with the preparation of a commercial
volume table of teak based on data collected during 1977 from
1874, 1875, 1876, 1878 and 1879 plantations at Kaptai in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts (South) Forest Division in Bangladesh. Thirteen
mathematical models of tree volume on diameter at breast height
( D B H ) and volume on D B H and total height were compared. The
best relationships judged principally by Furnival’s Index were used to
compute volume tables.

Fibre dimensions of Pinus caribaea, Leucaena leucocephala, and
Acacia auriculiformis were studied to assess their suitability for
making paper pulp. The results obtained with Pinus caribaea grown in
Bargladesh were comparable with those in the literature. The fibre
dimension characteristics of Leucaena leucocephala predicted the suitability
of the spec’es for pulp making. Acacia auriculiformis showed
similar fibre properties with those of civit.

Diseases and disorders of rubber plant ( Hevea brasiliensis Muell.
Arg.) so far recorded from Bangladesh have been reviewed. An
important leaf spot disease caused by Corynespora cassiicolatfBa.rV.
Curt.) Wei in January, 1985 and a root rot by Fusarium sp. in
December, 1985 respectively at Ramu and Khagrachari rubber
nurseries have been described. A severe dieback of grafted rubber
seedlings at Kanchonnagar and Raozan rubber nurseries in 1985 was
found primarily owing to very poor new root regeneration on transfer
to polyethylene bag and secondarily due to the attack by Phomopsis
hevae (Petch) Boedijn. During October, 1985 about 50% mortality
occurred in bud wood nursery stock of alone PB—235 at Haludia
rubber estate because of the phytotoxic effect of Elite Paint 713 (TR-Blue).
Ganoderma pseudoferrum (Wakef.) Overecm and Steinm caused root rot
in 1972 .ubber plantation at Dantmara. Yellowing of rubber seedlings
of clone PBIGG at Khagrachari was due to nutrient deficiency.

The importance of seasoning of timber has been discussed in the
context of Bangladesh conditions. Prevalent seasoning practices have
been described. The potential of wood seasoning in the country and
its expected economic benefits have also been dealt with.

Members of Loranthaceae, popularly
known as misletoes, are semiparasitic angiosperms.
They mostly attack dicotyledons
and gymnosperms and cause more economic
loss than any other angiospermic parasite.
Birds play an important role in the dispersal
of mistletoes. Sunbirds and the flowerpeckers
are the main dispersal agents of the
broad leaved mistletoes (Ali 1931, Weeraratna
1959, Gill and Hawkworth 1961,
Singh 1962, Ghosh ct al. 1984). Davidar
( 1980) reported that frugivorous birds such
as bulbuls and barbets also helped in dispersal
of mistletoes. The ripe one-seeded
berry of mistletoes contains a sweet viscid
pulp surrounding the seed. During feeding,
the birds squeeze the viscid seed out of the
epicarp by their beak, throw the epicarp
and swallow and excrete the seed on to a
branch (Ali 1931). Davidar (1980) also
reported that a flowerpecker Dicaeum concolor
( Dicaeidae ) used a different technique
to disperse the seed. The flesh alone is
eaten, epicarp is dropped and the seed is
rubbed off from its bill on to a branch.