The extent of natural bamboo forests in the mixed bamboo areas in the Kassalong and Rainkhiong Reserve Forests in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh are 76192 ha (188275 acre) and 27256 ha (67352 acre) respectively (Anon. 1963).

Bamboos in these forests occur as an understorey with the tree species. Eight bamboo species are indigenous to the area. Four of these species— Muli (Melocanna bambusoides), Mitinga (Rambnsa tuldd), Daloo (Teinostaebyum dtdlooa) and Orah (Dendrocalamtis longispathns) are of commercial importance. A fifth species Kaliserri (Oxytenentbera auriculatd) reaches commercial size but is of limited occurance. The remaining three species, Kali (Oxytenantbera nigrociliata) Bariala (Bambtisa vtdgaris ) and Bazali (Teinostachyuni griffithii} are of small size and assume a shrub-like growth and are of little commercial importance (Zahiruddin 1959).

Deer is an important mammalian fauna of Bangladesh. It plays an important role in maintaining the forest ecosystem. Blanford, in 1888, recorded five species of deer in this region. These were the Barking Deer (Mjintiaciis inuntjak Zimmermann), the Spotted Deer (Axis axis Erxleben), the Hog Deer (Axis porcinus Zimmermann), the Swamp Deer (Cervns diivanceli Cuvier) and the Sambar (Cervas unicolor Kerr). However, updating of this old record was necessary because during this period wanton deforestation and indiscriminate huntings had taken place resulting in ecological changes and disappearance of quite a few animal species. A reconnaissance survey of the wildlife of Bangladesh was, therefore, carried out between April and December, 1978 ; and special attention was given to ascertain the present position of deer.

The long interval of flowering and seeding has made propagation of bamboos very difficult. Offset plantings are not suitable for large scale plantations. Attemps with branch cutting, layering, etc. for propagation showed low percentage of success. Tissue culture has yet to be tried.

The present study showed that rhizome buds are monoprimordial, represented by the cone of rudimentary sheaths only. The food stored in the rhizome and rhizomatous swelling is utilized by their lateral and terminal buds. The root primordia are borne outside rhizome-buds. The culm and branch-buds are multiprimordial. Each structure is similar to the rhizome consisting of root, rhizome and shoot primordia.

The number of primordial structures and their relationship with the breaking of buds, dormancy and continuous growth in various species of bamboos have been investigated, analysed and discussed.

In tissue culture the entire primordial structure might have to be used as a propagule unlike the use of only callus tissue as in the case of dicots.

Phytosociological studies were made for the thirteen stands of Chakaria Sundarbans, Chittagong. Soil factors such as profile, texture, ground water table, pH and salinity were studied. Depending on the characteristic species four phytosociological zones were recognised which were related with the various ecological factors. Maximum soil salinity ranging from 10 mmhos to 33 mmhos were recorded in the Avicennia- Sonneratia- Aegialitia zone. In this zone water table ranges from few cm to 30 cm (11.8 in). Soil profile differentiation is not well marked. Soil is more silty than other zones. Heritiera – Brugtiiera zone occur in the soil with least salinity conductivity ranging from 7.5 mmhos to 2.5 mmhos. Water table ranges from 100 cm (34.3 in) to 150 cm (59.1 in). Soil profile is differentiated into various horizons in this zone. In the field condition surface soil shows pH range from 6.2 to 7.5. The air dried soil shows a fall of pH value to 3.4 in some stands.

Semi-detailed soil survey was conducted at the Keochia Silvicultural Research Station, Chittagong, using enlarged aerial photographs (1 : 5000). Ground checking was made by means of traverses planned across the geomorphological pattern of the area at an interval of approximately 200 meters (656 ft). Laboratory analyses were carried out on the soil samples.

The object of this study was to identify the genetic relationship amongst the soil series, describe and characterise them properly and delineate on a soil association map. Seven soil associations and five soil series were identified in the studied area.

The coarse texture, the low organic matter content and the low available nutrients of the soils suggest that plant growth on these soils is probably slow which may further deteriorate due to erosion if the soils are allowed to remain exposed.

One-inch planks of six indigenous timbers were investigated in a small kiln to develop optimum schedules for accelerated drying. Three schedules have been suggested. All of them were found to be significantly effective for drying timbers faster than the conventional kiln drying with acceptable degrades. It is recommended that timbers may be dried employing any one of these schedules depending upon the type of the timber, as well as, the drier.

A germination trial was carried out by sowing Garjan (Dipterocarpns tnrbinatus Gaertn. F.) seeds in different positions and soil depths to investigate their influence on germination and seedling behaviour. Early germination, better percentage and straight seedlings were found in cases where the seeds were sown half-buried in inverted and horizontal positions. But in half-buried vertical sowing position the germination percentage was poor.

Complete burial of seeds in horizontal, inverted and vertical positions appeared to effect germination period and percentage, as well as, seedling shape. In these conditions seedlings were mostly abnormal in shape—
bent, spiral, forked, crooked, etc. When seeds were sown in fully—buried inverted position, germination started late and gave low percentage (43.3) in comparison with other fully-buried conditions.

Seeds which were sown horizontally and half-buried gave maximum germination percentage (82.2), early germination and straight seedlings.

In Bangladesh the timber resources are inadequate for the increasing demand and enough land is not available to allow the expansion of these
resources. The present paper discusses the ways to make proper utilization of these limited resources in minimizing the gap between the supply and the demand of timber in Bangladesh.

The dearth of timber may be met up through minimizing wastage by using the timber judiciously and completely and on the other hand by increasing plantation of selected species after clear felling the existing forests which are extremely heterogenous and comprised mostly of inferior hardwood species. The problems to be tackled with utmost importance are the numerousness of species with varying mechanical and physical properties, poor accessibility into the forests and early deterioration of wood in many uses.

The practice of preservative treatment of timber in use should receive major consideration as it decreases the need of timber by lengthening the life of the same.

Attempts were made to raise Cashew (Anacarditim occidentals Linn.) in 1.62 ha (4 acres) of sungrass infested area in Sal (Shorea robusta Gcartn.) forests of Bangladesh. The object was to find out if the species could
profitably be cultivated in such areas. With successful establishment of Cashew, the sungrass was gradually eliminated from the area. About 86 percent trees were found to have survived. The plants attained an average height of 6.28 m (20.6 ft) and an average dbh of 18.5 cm (7.3 in) with a large canopy of average diameter of 6.06 m (19.9 ft) at the age of nine years. The average yield of green nuts at this stage was 4.8 kg (10.6 lbs) per tree and 861 kg (1,896.8 lbs) per acre.

Bamboo is of great importance in
Bangladesh and stands next to wood in utility.
It is extensively used for the construction
of houses, bridges, rafters and for many
other purposes. Split bamboo is used by the villagers as a
reinforcement of mud walls,
bamboo has multiple uses.
bamboo starts shrinking during the initial
stages of drying and has shown considerable wall material and also as a
As a whole,
Unlike wood,