120 DOLICHOS LABLAB (bONAVIS BEAN) 



We have made an analysis of seeds from Reunion and 

 ^-e ascertair 

 that of beans 



have ascertained that their nutritive value is higher than 



Water 



Ash 



Cellulose 



Fat 



Non-nitrogenous matter 



Nitrogenous matter 



1 4 '07 per cent. 

 3 60 



13-15 



1-25 



45-06 



22-87 



1 00 -GO 



The analysis given by M. Dybowski, in his " Traite 

 pratique de culture tropicale," agrees very closely with our 

 own. 



In India the husks are used as fodder for cattle. 



D. lablab is not in regular cultivation in India, it is 

 more often found in gardens or round about dwelling- 

 places. 



There are two varieties, one with white and the other 

 with dusky purple flowers, which occur chiefly in the Central 

 Provinces. As has been already noted, there are several 

 distinct varieties in existence. In the West of India it is 

 planted in the fields; the pods are gathered early and the 

 peas eaten in the same way as beans. Mollison states that 

 on good land, with good cultivation, a harvest may be 

 obtained of 1,400 kilos of pods lo the hectare, with an equal 

 weight of forage. 



The genus includes a number of varieties identifiable 

 by the colour of the seeds : white, brown, black, &c. 



D. lahlah is not much used for forage, as in those coun- 

 tries where the fruit reaches maturity without having been 

 destroyed by caterpillars or other insect pests it is preferred 

 to harvest the seeds for human consumption. In Mauritius, 

 where such harvest is nil, it might be used as fodder ; but 

 it is more usually ploughed in or left on the field. 



