Vol. XIII. Xo. .325. 



THE AGRICULTUR-IL NEWS. 



■33.3 



NEW CROPS. 



TRIALS WITH NEW CROPS IN RHODESIA. 



The results <ii rfitain I'xix'riiiiL-nts conductfil at the 

 Botanic and E.Yperinieiit Stations, .Salisbury, during 1913 to 

 1914, are descriliud in the Rhodesia Agricultural Journal for 

 Augu.st 1914. Amongst this information are notes on 

 .several species of bean which possess certain points of interest 

 and are herewith reproduced: — 



'kanko.m.\ BE.4S. A .species of bean introduced from 

 Northern Rhodesia, where it is largely used by the natives for 

 food. The plants made e.xcellent growth and ripened early, 

 prfxlucing a [irolitic crop of long narrow pods well tilled 

 with seed. 



'r,Aix<;'s BE.\N (.l/itcMwa .sp.). A species of velvet bean, 

 differing from the ordinary variety in having a white seed 

 and a pod free from iriitating hairs. T|ii.s latter feature 

 marks it out as an improvement on the ordinary \ariety. 

 The pod is also bigger and the (piantity of leaf growth at 

 least equal to that of velvet bean. The small trial of this 

 .seasou will be extended next season. 



"iiKDMANs BKAX. Another variety of velvet bean which 

 .seemingly failed to set .seed this .sea.son at the liotanic 

 Experiment Station, Salisbury. 



'teparv bean. This much-advertised dryland bean 

 of the Central .\inerican States germinated well and evenly, 

 iind made vigorous although short growth, setting seed freely. 

 At niaturity it sheds its leaves almo.st entirely. It was 

 iittacked by stem maggot in the same way a.s cowpea.s, and 

 was far from being the heavy yielding crop it is in its 

 • •ountry of origin. 



'iiHAL {Cojanus uidicus). A variety with variegated 

 •seed was tried this season, with very promising results. The 

 growth was distinctly superior to the ordinary 1 )hal, but the 

 jilant seems later in setting seed. 



'TANfilER PEA (Lat/tt/rus tingitanus). This plant, which 

 has a copious pea-like growth keeps green almost through the 

 winter. Stock however, are not too fond of its somewhat 

 1 litter foliage. It flowered for the fir.st time in -July.' 



Besides these leguminous grain crops above referred to, 

 there is another of the same family described under the name of 

 Tree Lucerne (J/edico.'/oirAo)-fa). This plant, which is distinct 

 from Cytisus Tproliferuf, has now been growing at the 

 Botanic Experimental Station for several seasons without, 

 however, any great measure of success. The plants have not 

 --attained full size nor have they tiowered. They are also 

 very susceptible to the attacks of white ants. 



Interesting notes appear on sesanium and yam. Tlie 

 first crop is said to grow well vegetatively, biit the yield of 

 ■seed has been too low to make its cultivation renumerative 

 in Rhfidesia. The white-seeded variety is earlier than the 

 jiearly seeded, lint the yields per acre were only 140 B). and 

 224 ft)., respectively. As regards yams, it is said that this 

 <rop does not give entii'e satisfaction. The yield per acre 

 is apt to l>e kiw as compared with other ri>ots, and the tuliers 

 are frei|uently attacked by insect and other pests, so that 

 their keeping i|ualities, for which they are renownied, are 

 wanting here. During the year two varieties of spineless 

 pri<-kly pear have been under trial. Neithei-, however, has 

 l>roved to be entirely spineless. They seem to show 

 1 tendency to revert to the original spiny form. In view 



of the formidable nature of this plant a.s a weed in arid 

 countries the Rhodesian Government has forbidden its 

 cultivation. 



Turning to that part of the article which describes the 

 i-esults olitained with grasses, it is said that a promising hay 

 grass for late cutting is molasses grass, a Brazilian species 

 whose l)otanical name is not given. Guinea grass, well known 

 in the West Indies, has given great satisfaction in Rhodesia 

 as a most promising winter grass, rivalling Xapier's fodder. 

 Last of all, reference may lie made to ilazagua, a sorghum 

 native of \\'est Afiica, with which trial.s have been made in 

 the Leeward Islands. In Rhodesia this plant, which 

 resembles Kaffir corn, has made normal growth during the 

 last two seasons, but has shown no outstanding qualitieij 

 either in leaf or .seed production. It is propo.sed to give it 

 a trial on sandy .soil during the coming season. 



LICORICE. 



Seeds of this crop have been obtnineil tiom ihe 

 R<iya] Botanic (ianlciis. Kew, for e\[)frinifntal cultiva- 

 ti<in in .St. Kitts and other West Indian i.slands. The 

 following ai-ticle, therefore, should prove interesting to 

 i-eaders of the Agricultural Neus: — 



A very consideralile part of the licorice root used in 

 -Vmerica is from marshy plains in Turkej- and Russia. 



This rorit is not cultivated, but grows wild in large 

 quantities, generally in gieat stretches of open ground where 

 the soil is more or less damp. It is regarded as a serious 

 pest and greatly interferes with cultivation, iluch land i.s 

 abandoned to it, A\hile some is ploughed and sown notwith- 

 standing its presence. It is a pereiniial herb of the genus 

 Glycyrrhiza of the l.ieaii family. The licorice of connnerce is 

 olitained liy evaporating an infusion of the sliced roots. Thi.s 

 solidified sulistance is used for flavoui-ing confectionary and 

 lieer as well as entering into the make-up of most of the 

 lirands of tobacco. 



The growth aViove ground of the plant is about 2 feet, 

 while the root is about as deep lieneath the soil. The land 

 in Syria from which the root is gathered is leased from the 

 owners, the condition, as far as lands that are cultivated, 

 being that the digging out of the licorice root must cease 

 when the time comes for planting the cereal crops. The 

 result is, as far a,s these lands are concerned, that the getting 

 out of the roots niu.st be done quickly as soon as the rains, 

 which Vjegin in Octolier generally, have somewhat moistened 

 the ground, as it would be very difficult to do the digging 

 in the long dry summer. 



The root is piled in great stacks, and when the digging 

 season is over a watchman takes charge, and the , root 

 remains thus stacked through the winter and the following 

 sunnner, when it becomes quite dry and is ready for traus- 

 |iortation to the coast. Great care has to be exercised that 

 that the stacks do not heat or mildew. 



The Aleppo district gathers and exports, on an average, 

 an aggregate of. 8,000 tons annually of dry licorice root, 

 while Bagdad yields about 6,000 tons, Antioch 4,000 tons, 

 and Damascus -^00 tons. 



The pulp is pressed, with Amei'ican ingeiuiity, into 

 lioards which are u.sed in cabinet work, and which are said to 

 make uj) into novel and handsome articles. (Tinpical A;/ri- 

 culturist, Vol. XLII, Xo. 4.) 



