290 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [April 3, 1920. 



covered the space between the rows, and grew to a height of 2 feet. The crop 

 produced a large quantity of seed by April, and was again flowering in. 

 December. Where the beans were sown no chipping whatever was required 

 from the time of planting, whereas the chipping of weeds on the other 

 untreated portions of the plantation cost £5 per acre." 



"WTiilst this legume chokes down objectionable weed growth, its presence 

 means the constant enrichment of the soil by the accumulation of nitrooen> 

 and by the formation of humus. The only obvious objection to this green, 

 mulch system lies in the fact that the banana plants are to some extent robbed 

 of moisture. The loss, however, is not as great as it at first appears, as the- 

 dense quantity of falling dead leaves completely covers the surface soil, and 

 so conserves moisture. The alternative crop of weeds would take up far more- 

 moisture than the legume, would add nothing to the soil, and would cost money- 

 to get rid of. 



Unlike other legumes generally recommended for green mulching, the rice- 

 bean vines are easily kept within bounds, and last longer ; hence they serve 

 as a more permanent mulch. On the North Coast, where torrential rains 

 prevail every year, a lot of surface soil may be saved by the use of this valuable 

 legume. 



Following is an extract concerning the crop from " The Peas and Beans of 

 Commerce," an article which appeared in the Bulletin of tlie Imperial 

 Institute, Vol. xv, No. 4, October-December, 1917. The characteristics 

 described, it may be remarked, tally exactly with those observed during the 

 crop's growth at Wollongbar, where the seeds produced were maroon in 

 colour when matured : — 



The rice bean {Phaseolus calcaratv^s Roxb.) is found wild in India, and is also 

 cultivated throughout the tropical zone from the Himalayas to Ceylon, and to a limited 

 extent in Japan, China, Mauritius, Java, and the Philippines. It may be gro-wn at a, 

 higher elevation than most other pulses, being found at an elevation of 6,500 feet in the 

 North-west Province, and of 5,000 feet in the Khasia Hills. 



The plant is an erect or sub-erect annual, from 1 foot to 2 feet 6 inches high, with 

 twining branches several feet in length furnished with trifoliate leaves resembling those o£ 

 the dwarf French bean. The young vegetative parts are clothed with short, fine white 

 hairs that are deciduous. The flowers are yellow, produced in short racemes comprised 

 of from five to twenty flowers; the pods are slender, nearly cylindrical, .3 to 4 inches 

 long, curved, with a pointed tip, and each pod contains from eight to twelve seeds. 



According to the variety and state of maturity, the seeds vary in colour from straw- 

 yellow to greenish-yellow, brown, maroon, or black. The prominent white hilum raised 

 above the surface and crinkled at the margin readily distingiiishes this species from the.- 

 other small seeded kinds. 



After three years' careful tests and observation, I can strongly endorse 

 the recommendation by Barclay (W. Fawcett) of the rice bean as a green 

 mulch. The recommendation applies particularly to North Coast banana 

 growers who have (or intend to establish) plantations on steep, stony ground . 

 The beans should be sown as soon as the bananas are planted ; two rows, 3 feet 

 apart between the rows of bananas, is sufficient. In this way a small quantity 

 of seed (about 4 lb.) will plant an acre. 



