In Bangladesh the Tropical Moist Deciduous Sal Forests were studied in Madhupur Garh. Sal (Shorea robusta) has got a density of 87 trees out of the total 233 trees per acre. The basal area of sal is 56 sft per acre (that is 48.7% of the total) and it has got a 100% frequency distribution.

A preliminary study on veneer cutting and gluing properties of Albizzia moluccana Miq., an exotic species, showed that the species is suitable for making good quality veneer and plywood and can be used for making tea boxes and crates. It is also suitable for making corestock.

The paper explores the statistical ground of preparing forest working plans and
provides a tentative list of required data and studies. It is observed that the
insufficiency of required data and lack of studies have resulted in serious shortcomings
in the present working plans of Bangladesh. The targets are not found to be
established on an analytical basis and the prescriptions and programmes do not
reflect the true requirements of the economy. Thus the plans are not consistent
with the objective of producing the maximum contribution to the society. In order
to improve the quality of the working plans it has become urgently necessary to
develop forestry sector statistics in Bangladesh. The paper suggests steps for accelerating
developments in this respect. The steps are concerned with institutional
changes, provision of adequate field staff and funds, organising training programmes
and formulation of a plan for statistical development by the Working Plans Division
of the Forest Department in close co-operation with the Planning Commission
and the Forest Research Institute.

The people of the coastal belt and offshore islands arc very poor. Because of century old neglect the rural economy is handicapped by illiteracy, bad communication and hazard of natural calamities. The Coastal Embankment Project was launched in 1960 to reduce the damages of crops caused by cyclone and to increase the job opportunity for the people living in the area.

Experimental plantations were raised in the coastal area on khash land and on the strips outside the poulders. Attention of the planners was drawn to the Coastal Afforestation Scheme after 1972, and the scheme got priority in the First Five Year Plan. When implemented 3 Coastal Afforestation Scheme would raise 112000 acres of plantation by 1781-82. The newly raised forest would create job opportunity for about one 100000 people in 2-3 decades’ time.

The furniture and joinery industries of Bangladesh mostly use manual labour and hand tools both in manufacture and in surface finishing. Modern woodworking machines have been introduced on a very small scale in the recent past, but they have not met with much success due to the lack of proper technical know-how
and trained personnel. These industries are expected to expand. As the general economic conditions improve and per capita income rises, there will be need for an increased production of furniture and joinery.

A brief review is given of investigations into the cause of agaru, a valuable
aromatic oleoresinous deposit found in the stems of Aquilaria agallocha in
Bangladesh, East India and other parts of South East Asia.
In previous investigations various fungi have been identified in association
with agaru deposits but their casusal role in this context has not been fully
established.
The present investigation includes microscopic examinations and identification
of fungal isolates from four samples of agaru collected in the Sylhct region
of Bangladesh. From this evidence it is concluded that it is unlikely that there
is a specific fungal cause for agaru. Suggestions are made for further research.

An investigation was made to determine the possibility of making sulphate pulp from rubber wood (Hevea brasiliensis). The pulp obtained was low in yield and the permanganate number was very high ranging from 12.35 to 24.44 predicting a high bleach requirement. The physical strength properties of the pulps were moderate. Rubber wood pulp showed promise to be used for making moderate quality wrapping, bag and average quality printing papers.

Air drying characteristics of garjan Dipterocarpus spp. railway sleepers were investigated employing 1 x 5, 2 x 5, 1 x 7 and 2×7 piling methods. Although there was no significant difference among the drying periods in different methods, the 2×7 method appeared to be the most efficient one. This method exhibited a relatively shorter drying time irrespective of higher density and higher initial moisture content of sleepers as compared to those in other methods. The faster drying in the 2×7 method was attributed to better air circulation. Sleepers stacked in the month of April, dried down to 28% mosisture content in about eight months on
the average. It is recommended that garjan sleepers be air dried following the 2×7 method during the active drying season beginning November, instead of April, as was done in the present study, with a view to achieving further reduction in total drying time.
The moisture distribution inside the sleepers was highly variable ; the moisture gradient was steeper with increasing depth of the zone, but the steepness of the gradient decreased with increasing drying time.

Jam (Syzygium grandis), because of its availability and strength properties, was considered for substituting garjan ( Dipterocarpus spp. ) for making railway sleepers. Since treatment with creosote is normally the part of the manufacturing process for railway sleepers from nondurable wood, jam heartwood was treated with Lowry empty cell process using 40 ; 60 creosote-petroleum oil preservative in order to develop a treating schedule for jam sleeper. Treatments were performed with the various combinations of treating schedules with or without the pretreatment ot steaming-vacuum or incision. None of the treatments, however, could achieve penetration and retention recommended for the purpose of railway sleepers

Black pepper (Piper nigrum, Linn.) locally known as gid marich – is a highly prized spice with heavy demand in the western countries. Oldrecords indicate that limited vines of the species were in Jessore and Sylhet districts. Large scale use of black pepper as a condiment and scope of its introduction for multiple use of land made the authors to initiate studies for cultivation and field studies in Bangladesh.

Trials were given to raise the vines from stem cuttings on trellis as well as on living support of available fruit trees. Different methods of raising cuttings were also evaluated. Growth, flowering and fruiting behaviour were also observed.

Because of limited stock, work on pollination mechanism and ratio of male and female flowers could not be undertaken.

But as a whole it appears to be a promising crop for introduction in Bangladesh.