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322 THE JOURNAL OF INDIAN BOTANY. 5. The vegetation is characterized by :

{a) Distinct seasonal succession, as the result of the pronounced climatic seasons.

(b) A modified climatic climax degraded several stages from the

true climatic climax for the area. The vegetation is now balanced against the intense human factors, at about the dry meadow or early thorn scrub stage.

(c) Obscure topographic succession, due to interference by the

human factors, which at times and in places are so severe as to entirely prevent succession. G. Topographic succession presents the following stages : —

(a) Aquatic stage.

(b) Wet meadow stage.

(c) Dry meadow stage, which occurs over most of the area,

and is the modified climatic climax. (c7) Thorn scrub stage, occurring in poorly developed form in many places.

7. It seems clear from the evidence that if the retrogressive in- fluence of the biotic factors were removed, the vegetation would pass through progressively higher forest stages : — (e) Fully developed thorn scrub stage. (/) Pioneer monsoon deciduous forest stage. {g) Climatic climax monsoon deciduous forest, a forest of con- siderable density and luxurience.

1. Brandis, D. On the distribution of forests in India. Ocean Highways

1872 : 8S-113. 1872. 2. Influence of forests on rainfall. Indian Forester 14 : 10-20.

18S3.

3. Cowles, H. C. The cause of vegetative cycles. Bot. Gaz 51: 161-183.

1911.

4. Hooker, J. D. and T. Thomson. Flora Indica, Vol. I., Introductory

essay, pp. 1-260. London. 1855.

5. Indian Meteorological Memoirs 5 : 187-226. 1894.

6. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol. I., Chapter Meteorology, pp. 104-

156. London, 1907.

7. Meteorological Department of the Government of India : Rainfall

of India. Calcutta, 1914.

8. Nevill, H. K. Allahabad District Gazetteer. Allahabad, 1911.

9. Oldham, R. D. A Manual of the Geology of India. 2nd Ed..

Calcutta, 1893. 10. Schimper, A. F. W. Plant Geography. English Ed Oxford, 1903.