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 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.

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.

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.

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.

The paper examines the profitability of teak ( tectona grandis, Lin. f) plantations under the existing system of management in Bangladesh. The Forest Department has fixed 69 years as the rotation length for teak on all sites. Land expectation values have been calculated on the basis of the Faustmann formula and preliminary yield tables for three site qualities. They have been calculated on the assumption that the sites would be used for teak plantations for an infinite number of 60 year rotations. The sensitivity of results to changes in the planting and overhead costs and in yields was also calculated. The result indicates positive net returns for sites of qualities I to III under all cost conditions at an eight percent rate of interest. At thirteen percent, sites of qualities I and II show a positive result but those of quality III indicate a net loss Land expectation values are not found to be a convenient index of profita

This paper deals with the effect of two growth hormones, IAA and IBA in the rooting response of stem cuttings, rooting of branches by air layering through the application of Seradix B-3, and bud and cleft graftings of six species in different months. It was found that rooting occurred in four species with hormone applications to stem cuttings ; of these, three species rooted throughout the year. In air layering, four species roofed only in August-September. Bud grafting were successful in all the species. Bud propagation in April-May was the most successful. Fair results
were also obtained from budding in November-December. Cleft grafting did not show much response in any of these species.

Immature gamar (Ginelina arborea, Linn.) plants at about the age of 10 to 12 years become infested with loranthus, a parasitic plant, and ultimately die if a heavy infestation occurs. Gamar of 8,12,16 and 20 years age groups, having little timber value, have been studied for the manufacture of exterior grade hardboards. Fibre analysis and solvent extractibility show that the wood will be suitable for the purpose. Fibre length, flexibility coefficient, fibre diameter, relative fibre length and other related factors arc better than those of many other tropical wood and grass species. The presence of high percentages of waxes, fats and resins makes the fibres naturally moisture resistant.

Pulps have been made by Cold Soda and Steaming processes. Both soaking and pressure impregnation methods have been tried in the Soda process. Steaming for one hour at 140 psi steam pressure has been found to be the optimum in the other process.

Additive chemicals have been used in the slurry for imparting water resistance to the boards. Fire retardant and insect repellent chemicals have been sprayed on the damp-dry mat or on the formed boards. Heat treatment and oil wax tempering were followed by applying protective coating with urea-formaldehyde glue and enamel paint.

Accelerated aging tests have been conducted according to ASTM procedures. Board specimens have been tested for physical strength, water resistance and fire rctardance. For charring tests, a device has been developed at the Forest Research Institute. Modulus of rupture values, as high as 7000 psi, have been obtained. Tempered boards absored as low as 4% by weight and 1% by volume of moisture. Even after aging tests the boards were quite water resistant, though moderate in strength.