Seedlings of silkoroi (Albizia procera), chapalish (Artocarpus chaplasha), gam ar (Gmelina arborea), champa (Michelia champaca), and teak (Tectona grandis) were raised in 3 different sizes of polybags to study their growth performances at the nursery as well as in the field for the selection of an optimum size of polybag for large scale propagation. The results showed that the height and diameter growth of these species increased with the increase of polybag size, and maintained a good correlation with the seasonal variations (semi-dry, dry and wet season). In the field, seedlings raised in small and medium sizes of polybags (15 x 10 cm and 23 x 15 cm) showed higher percentage of survivality as their root/shoot ratio was higher. The small size (15 x 10 cm) polybags arc, however, recommended for the propagation of silkoroi, champa and gamar and the medium size (23 x 15 cm) polybags for teak and chapalish.

Vegetative propagation of silkoroi (Albizia procera), lohakath (Xylia kerrii) and sal (Shorea robusta) from root cuttings was tried. The results on the propagating environment with silkoroi root cuttings showed that a mixture of sawdust-sand medium in open bed was found more suitable than the sand medium in open bed and gravel medium in the mist bed. The age of the stock plant from which lohakath root cuttings were collected appears to have an important influence on their success rate and sucker production. Rooted cuttings taken from the three years old transplants regenerated more successfully than the cuttings taken from the mature trees. Sucker production is higher in longer and thicker cuttings, but when a thin (4-5 mm) and longer (10 or 15 cm) cuttings or thick (5.1-10 mm or 10.1-15 mm) and small (5 cm) cuttings were used poor regenerative capacity was observed. All successful cuttings of silkoroi and lohakath produced both roots and shoots. Regeneration of sal from root cuttings was not successful.

The physical and mechanical properties of golla cane (Daemonorops Jenkinsiana) have been studied at three height positions. The variation of the properties due to node and internode has also been determined. The moisture content increases gradually from the bottom to the top. The specific gravity, compressive strength and bending strength decrease along the culm height. It is found that the node and internode have no effect on most of the properties. The inverse correlation is found for physical properties with compressive strength.

The gross features and minute anatomy of rubber wood (Hevea brasiliensis (HBK.) Mucll. Arg.) have been studied in details. The probable uses of the wood have been described on the basis of the anatomical features.

A study on chemical analysis and water repellency property of ten village wood species was conducted to find out the percentages of their chemical components. It was found that raintrec (Samanea saman) possessed the highest amount of water soluble extractives. It was followed by babla (Acacia nilotica sub. indica), mango (tnangifera indica) and painya mandar (Erythrina ovalifolia). Nccm (Azadirachta indica) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) contained the least amount of this kind of extractives. Alcohol-bcnzcne soluble extractives of the species fell in the range of 1.38- 6.60%. The holocellulose content was the highest in tentul (Tamarindus indica). Chora nccm (Melia azadarach) ranked the next in this respect, in consideration to the cellulose content, tentul, ghora nccm, sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo), mango and babla may be suitable for chemical pulping and conversion products.

These ten species were explored for water repellency test. Neem was found to absorb the least amount of water. In order of gradation on this aspect sissoo, babla and tentul were found to absorb slightly more water. These species may be suitable both for indoor and outdoor uses. Sorption of water in the remaining six species is considerably higher and consequently they arc deemed not suitable for outdoor uses.

Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dchnh. of Pctford provenance is being planted fairly widely on a commercial basis for fuclwood and other purposes in Bangladesh. In November, 1989, a disease on eucalyptus plantations was recorded at Cox’s Bazar, Kcochia and Sylhct. In July, 1990, the same disease was recorded in Sylhet and Dinajpur. Similar type of symptom of the disease was observed in all the plantations.
Among the twelve sites, the most affected plantations were at Khadimnagar and Meherghona where trees showing disease symptoms and cankers were 90% and 50% respectively. The least affected areas were Satchari and Rashidpur where 5% of the trees showed disease symptoms and cankers were formed on 2% of the trees (Table 1).

From 1966 up to 1990 the Forest Department has raised a massive plantation of 125,000 hectares with Sonneratia apetala and Avicennia officinalis. However, due to rapid rise in ground level some areas in the coastal belt are now unsuitable for mangrove plantations. The Forest Department, therefore, tried some mcsophytic species in such areas. Seven non­ mangrove namely, Acacia nilotica, Albizia procera, Albizia lebbek, Pongatnia pinnata, Casuarina equisetifolia, Samanea saman and Hibiscus populanaeous were observed to exist in the mangrove areas.

The bark-eating caterpillar, Indarbela quadrinotata Walker (Metarbelidac : Lepidoptera) is an important pest of moluccana koroi (Paraserianthes falcataria) in Bangladesh. Various methods to control the pest were tested in a 4-ycar old moluccana plantation at Satgaon Tea Estate, Moulvibazar. Though all the methods proved effective in controlling the pest over the untreated control, spraying the bark with 0.1% dieldrin or malathion, injection of 5 ml of 0.1% dichlorvos into each larval hole or plugging the larval hole with cotton soaked with kerosene were found superior. The possibility of applying various methods to prevent, control or minimize the pest attack in large scale plantations was discussed.

Drying defects were quantitatively assessed from the identical timbers of solar, air and steam kiln drying. The stresses in the form of moisture gradients developed in these drying methods were determined. Drying defects were found dependent on the stresses. The quality of the solar dried timber was superior due to reduction of drying stresses because of rehumidification inside the solar kiln during the night.

Change of morphological character of bamboo culms in relation to the age have been described. Presence or absence of culm sheath and nodal root rings, branching pattern and colour was found to be diagnostic characters for determining the age of culms ranging from 1 to 4 years in the clumps of five major bamboo species of Bangladesh.