OTHER HOT-SEASON ANNUAL LEGUMES 557 



remarkably well provided with tubercles ; indeed, in this 

 respect far surpassing the cowpea. 



673. Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba). Guar is an 

 annual, native of India, where it has long been cultivated 

 t a limited extent. The plant is grown both for green 

 forage and for the seed, which according to Duthie is 

 used mainly to fatten cattle. 



The plants are stiff and erect, simple stemmed or with 

 comparatively few branches, and 3 to 6 feet high. The 

 leaves are trifoliolate and angularly toothed. The small 

 flowers are numerous in short erect axillary racemes. 

 The pods are flat, 1J to 2 inches long, and about 7-seeded. 



Guar is adapted to about the same general conditions 

 as the cowpea, but it does not ripen its seed in northern 

 Virginia. It is especially characterized by its remarkable 

 drought resistance. At Chico, California, a fine crop was 

 produced without a drop of rain falling upon it from the 

 time it was planted until nearly ready to harvest. During 

 the whole season these plots showed no suffering whatever 

 from the drought, which seriously affected adjoining plots 

 of Kafir corn and sorghum. Similarly marked drought 

 resistance was shown at San Antonio, Texas. 



Guar is very prolific, a single plant grown at Chico 

 producing 260 pods. The yield in India is stated to be 

 about 13 bushels to the acre, but small plots in this country 

 have shown a considerably greater yield. 



There are many varieties, some of them with single 

 stems ; others branched from the base. The upright- 

 growing varieties are preferable, at least from a seed-pro- 

 ducing standpoint. Some of the varieties have much 

 larger seeds than others, and on this account are more 

 desirable. 



In regard to its palatability to live stock, the evidence 



