300 



111 Malaya it is generally met with in '" coinpoiuuls "' using as 

 supports the stents of the ]jalms, in other eases stakes are used, 

 trellis work or anything whieh will allow them to climb. Attention 

 is always ])aid to maintaining a sutficieney of shade overhead. 



The cultivation of the two plants discussed above is essentially 

 undertaken by natives and is without doubt a purely native indus- 

 try. Unfortunately statistics are not available as to the export 

 trade in " betel nut " but it is certain that with the large amount of 

 native labour in the country and the decrease in acreage under 

 ''■ betel nut "' the exports must be considerably less than in past 

 years. 'Iliere is no export trade carried on witli "■' betel leaf." 



F. Flippaxce. 



Some Trials of Food Plants in the 

 Economic Gardens III. 



The Sword Bean. 



(Canavalia ensiformis). 



The Sword-beans seen in the accompanying plate were in- 

 trodiiced into the Economic Gardens from Japan in Febriiary, 

 1919. Its cultivation has now been brought to the fifth generation 

 and shows by its remarkably heavy ero])s its adaptability to our 

 local conditions. A local sword-bean is frequently seen growing 

 in Malaya, the difference between this and the Japanese being in 

 the colour of the floAvers, which is mauve in the Japanese plant, 

 and white in the local one; and in the seeds, the local bean being 

 bright ruby-red in colour, and the Japanese pale pink. A third 

 white-seeded variety, the seeds of which were procured from Mr. W. 

 Duiiman of (trove Estate, is also grown in the Economic Gardens. 

 It is a plant of very rohust growth with large handsome mauve 

 flowers and it fruits profusely: it is popularly known as "Owen's 

 Bean " from the name of the popular Secretary of the S. C. C. 



The plot, on which the plants were grown, is on the lower edge 

 of a hillside, a piece of yellow stiffish clay, but self-draining by its 

 position. It had been manured six months previously and had 

 given a crop of Eoselle. A liming, a good breaking-up with the 

 changkol, and a finish-off with the rake made it a first-rate bed for 

 the sword-bean, which thrives better in a fairly firm clay bottom 

 than on a sandy one. 



The seeds were planted three feet apart on rows 2 feet apart, 

 being sown with the oye (hilum) down at a depth of 3 inches. 

 Contiguous to this plot, another bed was planted with seeds of the 

 local sword-beans. 



In both eases, the growth was very rapid and 4 weeks after 

 sowing a frame of supports had to he put up "v^ith transverse sticks 

 overhead, to train the fast climbing vines, and support the mass of 

 foliage. 



