In this article, we will discuss Forest Products and their Utility (Part-3). So, let’s get started.
Forest Products and their Utility (Part-3)
Gums
Gum is obtained from acacia, carob, mesquite and kateera-gum. These are used as adhesives in printing and finishing taxtiles, in paint and candy industries, and drugs.
Tannins and Dyes
Tannins are used for coagulating the protein in hides and skins, so that resistant leather can be produced. Lighter vegetable tannins dominate in the production of leather. Tannins are obtained from the bark of mangrove, sundri trees, wattle, avaram, sumac, arjun, Indian almond, jujube, Cuddapah-almond, hog-plum, chestnut, and leaves of smoke trees. The dyes are coloured compounds. On being fixed to fabrics, they do not wash out with soap and water or fade on exposure to light. About 150 dye yielding plants are available in Indian forests, but only a few have been utilised so far.
Katha
Katha is extracted from the inner wood of ‘khair tree’ which is largely grown in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Bihar. Its important factories are at Bareilly (U.P) and Shivpuri M.P.).
Fruits and vegetables
The fruits and vegetables obtained from the forests are Jamun , bel, ber, gular, jack-fruit, amla, tamarind, khirni, karonda, khajur, and chilgoza. Chinch, munga, chkoora, arvi, ratalu, kanhi, akana, kirchi, jarungi, sua, saijan, saidu, mushrooms, and guchchhi are obtained as vegetables.
Valuable Things
In addition to the given benefits from forests, the Collection of ivory, honey, bees wax, hides, horns, and furs is also done from the forests.
Grazing Grounds
Forests are the grazing grounds for domesticated animals and the abode for over 30,000 species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms.
Forests and Climate
Climate, temperature, and precipitation are also directly affected by the presence or absence of forests. It is said that larger the area under forests, greater is the amount of precipitation.
