THE MOST PROMISING SHADE TREES. 43 



beginning is accordingly made with the present list. Although the 

 chief interest will undoubtedly center upon the Leguminosae, species 

 of other orders are also included for the sake of historical interest and 

 completeness, and also because it is by no means impossible that other 

 types of vegetation may have a practical bearing upon the subject, 

 since members of several families outside the Leguminosae are now 

 known to profit by symbiotic relations with lower organisms, either 

 fungi or bacteria. 



In the absence of comparative experiments with even the better- 

 known shade trees, it is impossible at this time to determine which 

 species are really to be preferred, if indeed species still untried are not 

 to be found more desirable than those now in use. Moreover, if the 

 leguminous trees follow the analogy of the herbaceous fodder and soil- 

 ing crops, they will be found to have definite adaptations to soil and 

 climate, so that in a perfected agriculture not one but many trees will 

 need to be considered. The best that appears to be possible at pres- 

 ent is to bring together all that has been ascertained regarding shade 

 trees and catch crops for coffee. The present compilation makes no 

 claim to completeness, but may be of use as furnishing suggestions for 

 planters and experimenters, and as a basis for further accumulations 

 of knowledge. In canvassing the available literature attention has 

 been directed especially to the practical details and methods of propa- 

 gation, rapidity of growth, size, habit, value of wood and other prod- 

 ucts bearing upon the desirability of the different species. 



For the guidance of those new to the subject it may be said that the 

 favorite leguminous shade trees of the East Indies belong to the genera 

 Albizzia and Erythrina, while in the American Tropics other species 

 of Erythrina are used, though members of the genus Inga seem to be 

 more popular. Of better promise, perhaps, than any of the above are 

 the two species of Pithecolobium, the rain tree (PL XVI), guango, or 

 saman of the West Indies, and the guaymochil or Manila tamarind of 

 Mexico and the Philippines. In addition to the shade, fruit, timber, 

 rubber, and other trees which have been considered for planting with 

 coffee, herbaceous plants used for temporary shade and catch crops 

 raised with coffee for soiling and fodder purposes have been included. 

 Of course it would be possible to grow almost anything between the 

 rows of young coffee trees, but some plants and cultures will be more 

 useful or less injurious than others; and some, such as the banana, 

 castor bean, indian corn, and pigeon pea have a regular place in the 

 shade cultures of some coffee-growing countries. For regions where 

 intensive culture is practicable and the use of shade unnecessary or 

 undesirable, the most eligible of herbaceous soiling crops for coffee is, 

 perhaps, the peanut, though the velvet bean, phasemy, beggar weed, 

 and numerous other tropical leguminous plants should bG made the 

 subjects of early experiments. 



