Crotalaria striata and another species of the same 

 genus, Crotalaria incana, are leguminous plants, possessing 

 usually very numerous and large bacterial nodules, and 

 growing freely, when not cut, to 7 or 8 feet high. It (G f . 

 striata) has a yellow flower and a light green leaf, and 

 affords a good cover if not allowed to grow high and 

 scraggy. It should be kept cut to a height of about 2 feet 

 6 inches. The cutting is not a costly process as it is only 

 necessary to slash over the tops, leaving the cut part to 

 remain as a mulch on the soil. The seed is obtainable in 

 almost any quantity as a large acreage is already planted. 



Tephrosia purpurea and T. Candida are both vetch-like 

 leguminous plants which grow freely on almost any soil, 

 and give perhaps a better cover than crotalaria. * They 

 must, however, be slashed over at a height of 2-3 feet, and 

 not allowed to run up, otherwise the light, and with it the 

 weeds, will gain an entrance. 



Mimosa pudic.a, the "sensitive plant," a leguminous 

 plant with red spherical flower heads and spiny fruits, is 

 in many ways the most suitable plant as yet tried for cover. 

 The chief reason which makes it disliked by planters is the 

 presence of thorns on its stems which are unpleasant to 

 coolies walking through it. 



The habit of this plant of shutting its leaves in heavy 

 rain and at night is an advantage as no rain is lost and dew 

 falls on the ground. It never grows more than about two 

 feet high; it persists and makes a dense cover over the 

 ground when the leaves are not shut — i.e., when the sun is 

 shining and the plant is not disturbed. It is, though a 

 native of S. America, common in all the planting districts 

 and one of the first plants to take possession, and keep 

 possession, of the roadsides. 



In addition to these plants I have recently been shown 

 a creeping leguminous plant which was found by Mr. H. F. 

 Browell of Damansara Estate. It is a species of Vigna, 

 having dark green leaves and making a dense cover which 

 refuses to allow any weeds to exist. I have seen a patch of 

 about half an acre on Damansara Estate, and there it 

 appears to be the best plant for the purpose of cover that 

 has been used in theFederated Malay States. 



The Future of Eubber. 



The Federated Malay States produce about three-fifths 

 of the tin supply of the world, and in a few years time 

 Malaya should supply a very large proportion of the 

 world's demand for rubber. _ 



