265 



conditions of soil and climate, it should be as useful as 

 Pass} flora jaiida in smothering other more harmful weeds, 

 especially coarse grasses. The following analysis shows 

 its chemical composition : — 



Per Cent. 



Moisture lost on air drying . . . . 85*56 

 Organic matter, ash, &c. . . . . . . 14*44 



Composition of Air-Dried Plants. 



Per Cent. 



Moisture 11*00 



Organic matter* . . . . . . . . 81*44 



Ash . . . . . . . . . . . . 7*56 



100*00 



* Containing nitrogen 2*35 per cent. 

 The ash contains of the more important constituents : — 

 Per Cent, Per Cent. 



Lime .. 8*20 Soda .. .. 5*03 



Magnesia . . . . 7*04 . Phosphoric acid . . 4.60 

 Potash .. .. 42*77 



Mikama scandens thus differs considerably from the 

 Passiftora feetida in containing only about one-fourth of 

 the lime, and two and a half times as much potash. It 

 would, therefore, while growing tend to compete more with 

 the rubber, which also requires much potash, but this would 

 be returned to the soil as the plant decayed. In rubber it 

 should not be planted within 4 feet of the stems, and care 

 should be taken that it spreads over the intervening space, 

 and not be allowed to climb the trees themselves. 



The weight of green material per acre is variable, but 

 is very similar to that of Passiftora fwtida, and would re- 

 present the following amounts of plant food removed from 

 the soil per acre, but returned again on the decay of the 

 plants : — 



<s8*93 lb. nitrogen 

 286-10 lb. ash 

 containing — 



23-46 lb. lime 

 20*14 lb. magnesia 

 132-36 lb. potash 

 14*32 II). soda 

 13*10 lb. phosphoric aeid 



