266 



But, besides the actual weight of material that can be 

 obtained for weighing at any one time, there is continuous 

 fall of leaf from the trailing steins, as the lower ones are 

 smothered by the new growth. This increases steadily with 

 the age of plant, so that after a year's growth the above 

 figures could be at least doubled, and the humus gained 

 would amount to 8,000 to 10,000 lb. per acre. 



The plant dies down after flowering and seeding, when 

 the land should be cleaned and another crop grown if desir- 

 able. Although it is suggested to grow these crops to in- 

 crease the humus and water-holding capacity of the soil, 

 and at the same time to smother other weeds, and protect 

 the soil from sun and rain, they are not invariably applic- 

 able, since, unless they are known to grow faster than other 

 weeds in the district, they will be useless for the prevention 

 of the growth of stronger grasses, and may themselves be 

 smothered out. 



M. Kelway B amber. 



February, 1909. 



Note. — We reprint this excellent article from the Sup- 

 plement to the Tropical Agriculturist, April 1909, p. 393, as 

 it will be of interest to planters. I fear the F. M. S, planters 

 cannot claim as original the employment of the Pa ssi flora 

 as a Lalang strangler. It was utilized very many years 

 ago by the Dutch and seeds were sent to German New 

 Guinea for this purpose about 1898, from the Botanic 

 Gardens, Singapore. Its adoption as a weed killer here 

 came much later. The plant is a native of Brazil, but seems 

 to have been introduced probably as an ornamental plant 

 to England in 1731, and thence to the East Indies. It is 

 now common all over the East. 



One of its advantages as a weed killer is that it does 

 not climb up the trees as so many other climbing plants 

 such as the Ribu-Ribu fern Lygodium does. Mikania scan- 

 dens, not an uncommon plant here is not, (here at least) 

 so strong a grower. It is a stouter plant, and I should say 

 does not possess so many advantages as the Passion flower. 



Some of the common Convolvuluses might be used. I 

 have seen one in particular growing over Lalang and scrub 

 along tlit 1 line between Klang and Kwala Lumpur, which 

 seems to do its work of strangling the grass and weeds well, 

 it is Ipomea sepearia. 



