I86 



Spots m the Garden, the present spell of drought is rather too mucli 

 for it. Comparatively few trees died away entirely from the excessive 

 heat, a Tembusa, Fagroea fragruiis and an Adinaudra, however, seem- 

 ed to be killed by heat only. 



On the whole, the damage has not been excessive and this is due 

 to the heavy dew fall and to the one or two showers we had during 

 the dry snell— Ed. 



SOY BEAN (GLYCINE SOJA.) 



In view of the interest that has recently been taken in the 

 cuki'vation of soy beans both for their value as a grain crop, and also 

 on account of their importance for green manuring, the following 

 itiformation and particulars of the varieties and cultivation of soy 

 beans in the Kalimpong district of the Himalayas, may serve a useful 

 purpose. 



Soy beans are known locally under the names of Bhatmas 

 (Nepali) and Selliyang (Lepcha), and are represented in this 

 neighbourhood by six bars as follows : — 



A.— Plants of trailing habit growing 3 to 4 feet in length. 



(r) Gi-ain, light green ; this Is a popular variety as a food, being 

 considered to have the finest flavour, but is not grown 

 except in small quantities. 



(2) Grain, chocolate coloured. 



;(3) Grain, black. 



Neither of these two (2 & 3) is cultivated separately though the 

 seed LS often found mixed in ordinary samples of Bhatmas. 



3,— Erect growing varieties Ij^ to 2^ feet in length. 



. (4) Grain, yellowish brown. 



This is the most common variety and can generally br obtained 

 in the bazaar. Jt is called Barmeli Bhatmas- The grains 

 of these four varieties are similar in size. 



(5) . Grain, white and rather bigger. This kind is only grown 



to a small extent. 



(6) Grain, chocolate coloured. 



This variety known as Nepali Bhatmas is not much grown. I 

 have never seen it in the bazaar and have found difficulty in getting 

 • flt.few seers for seed. The grain is much larger than any of the 

 preceding kinds, is round in shape and rather bigger than garden 

 peas. This variety also differs from the others in the method of 

 cultivation. 



