Excerpts & abstracts

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Part of Forestry Leaves

Title: Excerpts & abstracts
Language: English
Year: 1954
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Fulltext: • EXCERPTS & ABSTRACTS • SPECIAL TREATMENTS TO HASTEN GERMINATION OF SUPA (SINDORA SUPA, MERR.) SEEDS By PEDRO B. SALVADOR Supa, one of the important Philippine hardwoods for construction purposes, has been greatly reduced owing to the fact that it has been one of the favorite species cut for heavy construction. It is durable and well favored for floorings due to its oily substance that makes it shiny dark brown. In this study the writer attempted to determine the best method of hastening the germination of supa seeds, the number of days necessary to start the seeds' germination and length of time necessary for all the seeds to germinate, and the germination per cent of supa seeds under different treatments. It was found out that seeds soaked in warm water with a temperature of 50°C. ( 122°F.) and allowed to cool for 15 hours showed the best and quickest germination because it gave the highest percentage of germination of 80 per cent, shortest period of germination of 25 days, and earliest germination. Moreover, the method is easy that even a layman can easily apply it. It was also fpund that seeds soaked in tap water for 15 hours gave 73 per cent germination; 67 per cent for seeds stratified with moist sawdust for 15 hours; 66 per cent for seeds soak~d in water with initial temperature of 50°C ( 122°F) for 30 hours; 65 per cent for seeds with cogon mulch; and 63 per cent for control. The seeds treated with concentrated Eulfuric acid for 5 and 10 minutes respectively did not gf;!rminate.-A. I. Tiam * ·~ * STUDY ON THE STABILITY OF ONE-HALF INCH APITONG WOOD UNDER ATMOSPHERIC CONDITION WHEN BOILED IN WATER AT DIFFERENT DURATION By DOMINGO M. LANTICAN Apitong (Dipterocarpus sp.) is one of the most ,widely distributed species in the Philippines and is available in great quanties. Its wood, however, happens to be one of the least stable of Philippine woods in dimension so that a proper method of treatment is necessary to minimize as much as possible the effect of atmospheric moisture. In this study samples of apitong wood 2" x llh" x 1112" were subjected to boiling treatment for dif· ferent lengths of time ranging from 112 to 3 hours. It was found that boiled apitong wood is more stable than unboiled samples, with wood boiled for 112 GRADUATION lsSUE-APRIL, 1954 hour as the most stable, although the effect is very insignificant. It was also found that boiling had a probable leaching effect on the gums, tannins, and other water soluble materials and might have fotced out the resin contained in the wood. Boiling caused a change in the color of the woo<;i from pinkish brown to greyish brown. The samples boiled at different periods were found to be more stable than the untreated samples but it does not follow, however, the expected tendency that the longer the time wood is boiled the most stable it becomes, because the samples boiled for 112 hour showed the lowest mean variation than those boiled longer up to 3 hours. -A. I. Tiam * * * FORESTRY IS OUR HOPE R. R. FENSKA Bartlett Tree Expert Co. White Plains, N.Y., U.S.A. Without forests our standard of living would be greatly reduced; in fact, it is doubtful if mankind could survive on this earth without them. Our existence is so integrated with their influence · that we can hardly think of an act which doe,s not, either directly or indirectly, influence our lives. The average person usually thinks of the economic impact of wood and wood derivatives on mankind, yet it can be demonstrated that the by-products or indirect influences are major factors in the welfa~e of the human race. Engineers have conclusively demonstrated that soil erosion is a factor which man must solve if we are to continue to o,ccupy this earth. A forest cover, or some kind of vegetation, at the headwaters of our rivers is essential to conserve our water supply and prevent the erosion of our agricultural soils. At the present time the soil is washed into the ocean at a faster rate than it can be .formed from underlying rocks and minerals. With-. out a forest cover our earth would soon look like the surface of the moon-desolate, barren, and frightening. A forest cover on our watersheds is one of our most pressing problems today. Pure stands of conifers are not the ideal cover for watershed protection; rather the mixed, unevenaged stands of conifers with a scattering of deci· duous trees. The litter from hardwood trees contributes sufficient organic mulch to maintain a ptoductive soil. Clear cutting of any sizable stands and exposure of the soil to erosion must be eliminated. Furthermore, the unevenaged mixed stands regenerate themselves by natural seeding and avoid the (Continued on page 40) Page 35 THE MIGHTY ... (Continued from page 24) do you think he wears those sun glasses for? But whether someone has staked a claim to his heart or not, he keeps it a military secret. My mystic feelings tell me however that something is afoot with regards to this fellow's under cover tactics in carrying out his amorous battles. I sometimes sense he uses strategems of the great Napoleon in his quest for the Dulcinea of his heart. With the rare kind of brains that this fellow has, I would like to see his smoke after he graduates and starts going places. He's a hard one when angry but a sure-fire formula to cool him off is to offer him a couple or more bars of Magnolia pie. Guitar playing and reading occupy his spare moments with Damon Runyon and Western comics as· favorites. FORESTRY IN THE ... (Continued from page 34) -BCA (true mahogany). Reforestation work began only last 1951. * * * MT. MAKILING PARK PROJECT PROPOSED Plans for the development of the Mt. Makiling National Park are under way, Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta disclosed last week. According to the committee assigned on the project headed by Direetor Juan M. Arellano of the Planning Commission, three aspects in the preparation of the development plan have been agreed upon, namely; cultural, health resort, and recreational. The committee further made the following recommendations: ( 1) request the bureau of public works to repair and maintain the road leading to the summit of Mt. Makiling, ( 2) the necessity of comfort stations for the convenience of picnickers and visitors, (3) the establishment of a bird sanctuary, (4) request the National Power Corporation to rehabilitate the hydro-electric plant at Talon Falls in Los Banos to provide light and power. The proposed general development plan covers Camp Eldridge, the Thermal Batch at Los Banos, Pansol, Alligator Lake, and Mt. Makiling proper. Other members of the committee are Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing, Manuel Torres, Director Amos of Forestry and Metropolitan Water District Manager, Manuel Manosa. Page 40 A BAMBUSETUM ... (Continued from page 22) development and the building up of the plant ~ollections which are indispensable materials ~ ·for study, largely for their economic potentialities. All forest officers, especially those of Abra, Pangasinan, Quezon, Polilio, Mindoro, Bukidnon and Davao, and those who are charitable enough to lend a hand, can help in this search for more species of bamboos in their respective jurisdictions and in collecting them for the bambusetum. At least 3 pieces of 2-meter bamboo culms with roots, can be collected, wrapped either in wet gunny sacks, asphagnum moss or banana, sheaths, properly labelled, and sent to the J Division of Forest Investigation or the College of Forestry, UP, College, Laguna. While the bambusetum has a humble birth, . its development and maint~mance should be carried on for all time not only as a colle~ tion of living plants but above all as a monu~ ment of the solid and patent interest, deep appreciation, and cpoperative efforts of those who in one way or another have helped in~ bringing it about in the interest of scienc;t and the industries dependent upon it. TO" carry on the work already begun, it is obviously necessary for forest officers as well as those who are bamboo conscious to do their part even beyond the call of duty as a token of their love to serve their country and people. EXCERPT AND ... (Cont. from p. 31) cost of reforestation. Wind-throw is also less in a mixed, unevenaged forest. The species to use are the ones best suited to the climate and the site, with emphasis on native trees. It is important that a forest, or some kind of vegetation, is maintained at the very head-waters of an area to avoid the gathering of the momentmD of the downstream flow. The maintenance of such a valuable heritage as our soil should be in the hands of trained speciali~ in which the forester is an important factor. It is our only hope for the survival of the human race on this earth. Reference: Eighth Pacific Science. Congress of the Pacific Science Association and the Fourth FarEastem Prehistory Congress Abstracts of Papen, pp. 345-346. FORESTRY LEAVES