328 CHAPTER XX 



THE CHICK-PEA (Cicer arietinum). 



This is a bushy, hairy winter annual which has grown well 

 in those parts of South Africa where it has been tried. Although 

 it seeds heavily and the seeds are weevil-resistant, there appears 

 no reason why its cultivation as a field crop should be advo- 

 cated, since owing to an acid secretion from glandular hairs 

 with which the plant is sparsely covered, it is unpalatable to 

 stock and, moreover, is said to be poisonous to cattle and horses. 

 In India it is known as " gram." The seeds resemble the pea 

 and have a beak-like projection near the hilum. 



THE GKASS-PEA {Lathyrus sativus). 



This has been tried at experimental stations and is another 

 winter annual having no decided characteristics to warrant its 

 cultivation in South Africa. The seeds, which are wedge- 

 shaped, are used for human consumption, but if eaten continu- 

 ously cause paralysis. The seeds are also immune to weevil 

 attacks. The stems are flattened and more slender than those 

 of the ordinary pea ; the leaves consist of one or two pairs of 

 narrow grass-like leaflets and have branched tendrils ; the 

 flowers are w^hite and solitary ; the pods are about 1 inch long 

 and 1 inch wide, flat and contain three to four seeds, which are 

 generally yellow or yellowish-green. 



THE VETCHES. 



While a number of plants belonging to various genera are 

 called " vetches " in different parts of the world, the term 

 " vetches " should, however, be used only of those plants be- 

 longing to the genus Vicia. 



There are four species commonly met with in South 

 Africa, viz. : — 



V. sativa. — Common Vetch or Tares or Spring Vetch. 

 V . villosa. Hairy or Winter Vetch. 

 V. angusti folia. — Narrows-leaved Vetch. 

 V. fabia. — Broad, Windsor or Horse Beans (Boer 

 boontjie). 

 As field crops, V. sativa and villosa are the only ones of im- 

 portance in the Union. Angustlfolia is frequently found as a 

 weed and fahia is commonly grown in gardens as a vegetable. 

 V. sativa is a winter annual in South Africa, having stems 2 to 



