CAJANUS INDICUS (PIGEON PEA) 85 



In 1,000 kilos of this matter this amounts to: — 



Nitrogen... ... ... .. ... ... S'S kilos. 



Phosphoric acid ... ... ... ... i'6 ,, 



Potash ... ... ... ... ... ... 6-5 ,, 



Lime ... ... ... ... ... ... 7'^ '» 



Although we are ignorant as to the conditions under 

 which these samples were taken, we may state that the 

 figures agree with others we have published which give for 

 1,000 kilos of natural substance : — 



Nitrogen... ... ... ... ... 7-5 kilos. 



Lime ... ... ... ... ... ... 7'5 ,, 



Potash ... ... .. ... ... .. 6-9 ,, 



Phosphoric acid ... ... ... ... ... 3"i ,, 



•The proportion of phosphoric acid is higher in the crop 

 from Saint Hubert, and the figures realized by M. Boname 

 are slightly less, about i per cent., which is sufficient to 

 show that these figures are very variable and depend to a 

 large extent on the conditions of growth, climate, &c. 



CAJAXUS INDICUS (PIGEON PEA, CONGO PEA, 

 NO-EYE PEA, AMBREVADE). 



Cajanus indicus, w^hich derives its name from the Indian 

 word Catjany, is a native of India; it is a shrub with yellow 

 flowers and trifoliate leaves. Some writers believe it to be 

 rather a native of tropical Africa, but the etymology of the 

 name is suf^cient to show^ that such is not the case. 



This member of the Leguminosce differs from most others 

 in that it is not a climbing plant, but a shrub, which may 

 attain a height of about 3 metres. Two principal varieties 

 are known, one with completely yellow (C flavus) and the 

 other with red and yellow flowers (C. hicolor). 



This plant seems to have always been known in 

 Mauritius and Reunion, and it was thought formerly that 

 the improvement in the soil in which it was grown was 

 due to its leaves, which fall and cover the ground. Cos- 

 signy, in 1802, recognized the value of the pigeon pea. 



