-Vol. VIII. Xo. 200. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



405 



an erect stem about 4 to 5 feet high; leaflets li to 2 

 inches long; flowers S-inch long and Over, blue; pods 

 about 2 inches long. 



A USEFUL LEGUMINOUS PLANT. 



In L'Af/ronoinlc Tropicale fur September 1909, 



there is an accot;nt of a leguminous plant, Tephrosia 



j)urpurea, which deals with its suitability for the 



purpose of keeping down weeds, in rubber and coffee 



cultivation. 



For some time, the investigations of physiologists and 

 agriculturists Lave called attention to the disadvantages of 

 weeding (in rubber and similar cultivations), but changes of 

 method in this direction have not been adopted by many 

 jjlanter.s; few experiments have been undertaken in connexion 

 ■with it in the truly practical sense. 



Interest has, however, been awakened, and experiments 

 with leguminous and other plants have been made to a certain 

 •extent everywhere. There have been attempts in many 

 regions, to introduce a plant which, while capable of keeping 

 down others Avhich are harmful, enriches the soil and does 

 not do any harm to such trees as rubber. According to 

 a planter in the Federated Malay States, Tephrosia pur/mrea 

 fulfils this purpose adnurably. This Tephrosia grows slowly 

 at first, but toward the end of four months, it attains the 

 dimensions of a small bush; it then commences to show 

 superiority over other plants. AVhen fully grown, it is 9 to II 

 feet high. In plantations, it forms hedges across which no 

 other plant can pass, and the necessary weeding near the 

 plants, costs little. The hedges are sufKciently distant to 

 allow the air to circulate between the trees, and the soil is 

 always well shaded and kept in good physical condition. As 

 for the protected trees, these appear to make as good growth 

 as they do on soil that is completely and regularly free from 

 weeds. 



By growing the plants of Tejj/u-oxia in hedges, a better 

 circulation around the roots is as.sured and the inspection of 

 the protected plants is hicilitatod; other methods of cultivation 

 have their advantages, however, as for example, that in which 

 each rubber tree is surrounded by Tcphroiiia. 



The plants attain a certain height, and should be cut 

 once or twice a year; but this development gives them an 

 advaiitafe in condiating lalang and other tall weeds, and as 

 they do not climb, they may be planted without inconvenience 

 near rubber and coffee trees. In addition, Tephrosia pnrpu- 

 rea is a plant which enriches the soil, has few natural 

 enemies, is very hardy and propagates itself when it is once 

 ■established. 



The account goes on to show how a great saving 

 in the ex|)ense of weeding follows the adoption of this 

 plant in rubber cultivations. It may be remarked that 

 several species oi Tcphrnsia are common in the West 

 Indies; among these are 'goat rue' {T. cinerea) and 

 ' Surinam poison ' {T. toxicaria). Of these, the former 

 is a loosely spreading undershrub, which tends to run 

 alone the gro"'"''- ^^^em 1 to li feet long; leaflets ^-inch 

 to l^inch long; flowers about i-inch long, red, appear- 

 ing in February to .June; pods spreading, with b to 10 

 seeds; found in open spaces, thickets and on the sea- 

 shore! T. toxicaria is an upi'ight, larger plant, with 



ORNAMENTAL FLOWERING PLANTS IN 

 DOMINICA. 



In October 1901, seeds of J/ i /mi sups Shnnjieri, the 

 ' Per.sea " of ancient writers, were received at the Dominica 

 Botanic Station, from Kew. From these, two specimens of 

 the plant were raised, and the Curator has recently reported 

 that one of them has flowered. The plant itself is a native 

 of tropical Africa, and bears handsome, long-stalked, elonga- 

 ted flowers, which give place to an elliptical, one-seeded 

 fruit. It is, of course, related to the bullet tree (Mimusops 

 fjlohosa) of British Guiana, which yields balata. 



The Curator of this Station also reports that a specimen 

 of Baikiaea i>isi{/nis, which had been received in the first 

 instance from Kew, iiowered there for the first time in March 

 1908. In the Annual Report on the Botanic Station, etc., 

 Dominica, 1908-9, which is just being Issued, the following 

 reference is made to this plant: ' The young plant of B'likiaea, 

 insii/nis, a AVest African tree mentioned in last year's 

 progress report, continues in good health. For several 

 months during the year itproduced daily from one to four of 

 its larce and beautiful flowers The flowers usually open in 

 the afternoon, and fade away about the middle of the follow- 

 ing day. They are in fuH beauty during the evening and 

 early morning. The plant, which is growing near to the 

 main carriage road, has attracted a good deal of attention 

 from visitors. No seed has yet been ripened. This is 

 probably the finest flowering tree brought to the West Indies 

 since the introduction, many years ago, of Aniherstia nohilis.' 



The Kew BidloUn, Xo. S, 1909, gives information 

 concerning this plant as follows : — 



The flowers are 10 inches across when fully expanded 

 and are remarkable as being the largest produced by any 

 member of the Leguminosne (pod-bearing plants). The tree 

 is of erect habit, evergreen, with large, abruptly pinnate, 

 coriaceous leaves from 1 to 2 feet long; pinnae slightly 

 oblique, elliptic, 6.inchestoa foot long, and sometimes as 

 much as 4 inches in diameter. The flowers are borne in 

 loose clusters on the tips, or in the axils of the upper leaves 

 of the ripened wood of the current year. The calyx is 4 to 

 .5 inches long and divides on opening into four linear 

 segments, the three upper sepals reflex and curl round the 

 stalk of the flower, the two lower remain united and form 

 an erect, boat-shaped suiiport, upon which rests the large, 

 somewhat fleshy lip. The corolla is erect on first expanding, 

 but the petals gradually reflex at the tips, and the whole 

 flower is then about 10 inches in diameter. The petals are 

 snow-white, spathalatc, 6 to 6i inches long, and 3 inches 

 broad, with undulating margins. The lower petal or lip is 

 boat-shaped, lemon-yellow in colour, and somewhat more 

 fleshy in character than the other members of the corolla. 

 The ten stamens are in two .series, the five longest being equal 

 in length to the petals, the other five an inch shorter. The 

 filaments are slender, villose on the lower half, nine being 

 connate at the base. Anthers linear, versatile, f-inch long, 

 primrose-yellow in colour. Ovary a slender legume 2 inches 

 long, style slender, slightly shorter than the petals; stigma 

 capitate, small. 



