A stake-yard test on 28 indigenous species was carried out to determine
their natural durability. The test consisted of burying standard size timber
specimens under the ground and recording the lime taken to decay. Based on
the result durability classification of these Limbers has been made and
suggestions arc made for their uses in practice. Since durability of a timber
often dictates its preservative treatment, treatability of the same is also
furnished along with this classification. It is found that non-durable Limbers
arc more easily treatable than the durable ones.

Butterflies of the families Satyridac and Acracidac, collected from
different forest areas of Bangladesh, have been identified. In Satyridac, there
are ten species belonging to six genera. These include : Mycalesis mystes, M.
persons, M. sp., Elymnias hypermnestra, Melanitis leda, Orsotrioena medus,
Erebia nirniala, E. narasingha, Ypthima chcnui and Y. philomela. In
Acracidac, there is only one species, viz. Acraca violae. A taxonomic key has
been developed for distinguishing the families, genera and species. The
locality of collection of each species in different forest areas and its importance
to forestry in Bangladesh have been noted.

Lignin was isolated from Cajanus cajan (Pigeon pea; Bengali : arhar).
Lignosulphonic acid resin was prepared from this lignin and characterised by
pH titration. This lignosulphonic acid showed titration characteristics
resembling those of soluble strong acids. Addition of electrolytes to water
increased the ion-exchange capacity. Sorption of moisture by lignosulphonic
acid showed a gradual moisture gain upto about 80% relative humiduty which
was followed by a sharp increase of moisturegam upto 100% relative
humidity.

This paper focuses on some basic issues of agroforcstry systems of the
world, in general, and of Bangladesh, in particular. The importance and
existing system of agroforcstry have been critically examined based on which
the future strategy has been suggested. It has been found that agroforcstry has
an impact on the production of food, fuel, fodder and timber plants, and on the
maintenance of soil fertility and natural stability. In Bangladesh, the main
thrust should be on the introduction of suitable agroforcstry plant species in
the crop fields.

A germination test was carried out to observe the effect of salinity on
germination performance of seeds of kcora (Sonneratia apetala Bach.-Ham.).
Increasing waler salinity caused a decline and delay in germination. Highest
germination success was recorded at 5 ppi and no germination occurred above 40
ppt. Salinities around 10 ppt appeared to be optimal for raising nursery beds of
S. apetala along the coastal belt.

Seeds often possess structural features that
affcct/rcstrict germination. These may be due to
impermeability of seed coat and other coverings
that prevent movement of water and/or gases.
Mechanical restrictions that prevent expansion and
growth of the embryo may also be involved and
such features arc particularly common in seeds of
Lcguminosac family (Maguire 1980). The seed
coat of such seeds cither physically restricts
growth of the embryo or acts as a barrier to the
free exchange of gases and uptake of water
(Duffus and Slaughter 1980). In such cases the
seed coat must be cracked or sacarificd to permit
entry of water and hasten the germination process
(Anon. 1987). It has been found that hot water
treatment of legume seeds can bring about an
appreciable increase in the percentage of
germination (Champion and Seth 1968) by
loosening the sccdcoat. The present experiment
was conducted to find out the effect of hot water
treatment of seeds on the germination of Albizia
lebbeck and Delonix regia.

Melocanna baccifera (Roxb.) Kurz locally
known as muli bans, is the predominant bamboo
species of Bangladesh. In Bangladesh at occurs
naturally in the forests of Chittagong, Chittagong
Hill Tracis, Sylhcl, Cox’s Bazar and northern part
of Mymcnsing. According to Gamble (1896), the
muli bamboo is naturally distributed throughout
Eastern Bengal and Burma from Garo and Khasia
Hill to Chittagong and Aracan, and again in
Tcnasscrim. McClure (1966) reported that the
natural home of this plant apparently is “in the Hill
Tracts of East Bengal”. The species occurs both as
undergrowth in many of the timber stands and as
pure bamboo vegetation over extensive areas
mainly on well drained slopes specially in the
forest openings. It constitutes 98% of bamboo
vegetation in Kassalong Reserve, 65% in
Rankhcon Reserve of Chittagong, Sylhcl and
northern part of Mymcnsing and more than 70%
of the total forest bamboo resource (Chowdhury
1984). It is more or less an evergreen species.
The clumps arc diffused and open producing
clums at varying interval in all directions due to
underground elongated (1-2 m) rhizome necks
developed from the ramiflying sympodial rhizome
system (Banik 1980). Il is interesting to note that
the natural habitat of this species is restricted to the
high rainfall hilly areas (250-600 cm per annum)
of the world. The species with net-like extensive
rhizome system might have been selected naturally
in the region for protecting the forest soil from
erosion. Besides this ccologic importance, muli
bamboo is the main raw material for rural housing and also die principal source of withes for making
basketry and matting. The suitability of making
paper by muli bamboo was demonstrated about 70
years ago by Railt (1929). In 1954, the
Kamaphuli Paper Mill was established at Kaptai
by utilizing the total natural stands of bamboos of
whose M. baccifera provides 85-100 per cent
(McClure 1966). Moreover, another industrial
product, high quality rayon, is also being
produced in the Mills by using muli as raw
material. Thus, both from ccologic and economic
points of view, M. baccifera is an important
bamboo resource for Bangladesh.

During March-April, 1989 a sample survey was conducted on the attack
by stcmborcr in the kcora (Sonneraiia apctala) plantations of Chittagong,
Noakhali, Barisal and Patuakhali Coastal Afforestation Divisions. The survey
was made in the plantations established from 1967 to 1985 covering 76,624 ha
land. The purpose of the survey was to estimate the overall intensity of
infestation in different Coastal Afforestation Divisions as well as to establish
relationships of the infestation will) some other parameters.

Data collected from twelve permanent sample plots (PSP) in the Sundarbans
mangrove forest on seedling regeneration from 1981 to 1987 indicated two main
problems i.c., appearance of insufficient number of seedlings compared to die vast area
of seedling regeneration and failure of seedlings to survive and establish themselves.
Average number of seedlings appearing per year was 35,625/ha. There was, of course,
wide variation in the availability of seedlings among the plots located in different
representative areas of the forest. Of the total new seedlings, Ileritiera fomes constituted
41.27%; and Excoecaria agalloc.ha 54% while the remaining 4.73% were seedlings of
other species.

One soil series, Hyanko covering 75% of the land and one soil complex,
Hyanko Rangamati with 50% occurrence of the Rangamati scries in the
remaining portion were recognized from a detailed soil survey of Hyanko Seed
Orchard Centre of BFRI and the adjoining 1976 teak plantation and mapped on
phase level. The Hyanko scries has been classified as Plinthic Palcustults and
the Rangamali scries as Typic Dystrochrcpts. Hyanko scries contains ironmanganese
nodules to the extent of 15% in the upper 100 cm. Although the
soil fertility is low, the planted gamar ramcis arc growing successfully and do
not show much variation in growth except on eroded phase. Similar land can
be utilized by introducing nitrogen fixing short rotation fuel wood species on
eroded phase and economically important timber trees on gently sloping to
moderately steep and smooth relief phases even without manuring.