Gums, Resins. 



298 



[April, 1910. 



kolled, and some lalang had only been 

 cut down, while the roots were un- 

 touched. 



In the second plot conditions were 

 different. 



In belukar land, to save expense, a 

 path or rentis 6 feet wide had been cut 

 along each row of trees, and when at 

 this work the coolies had generally- 

 scraped aside a little earth by which 

 gradually two ridges had been formed 

 one on each side of the row of trees. In 

 these ridges every few feet a couple of 

 seeds were put in, and after 5-7 weeks all 

 failures were supplied. Otherwise no 

 special care was taken, only of course 

 the coolies were told not to pull these 

 plants up when weeding, and care should 

 be taken to choose a rainy season for 

 this work. 



The Tephrosia will grow slowly at 

 first, and at four months old it has only 

 grown into a small bushy plant, but it 

 then commences to assert itself amongst 

 the surrounding weeds. When full 

 grown it is about 5-6 feet high, and each 

 plant spreads to the same extent. 



My oldest plot was sown in June, and 

 has not been weeded since the end of 

 August, 1907, viz., during 19 months. 



One cieeper has grown up in it, but in 

 other ways it looks all right, and the 

 lalang, which formerly was on this spot, 

 has now disappeared. 



My second plot was planted May last 

 partly in lalang. The Tephrosia now 

 form two solid hedges through which 

 nothing penetrates, and the weeding is 

 here done at a very small cost. 



The hedges are sufficiently apart to 

 allow the air to circulate along the trees, 

 and the ground is always soft and nice. 

 So far the time has been too short to 

 show any advantage in growth of trees, 

 but they certainly look as good as any 

 in my clean weeded area. 



To make the Tephrosia grow in hedges 

 has the advantage of a better air-circu- 

 lation around the roots, and it also makes 

 it easier to get about when inspecting 

 the plantation ; but other methods have 

 also advantages. To take an example, 

 where trees are circled, it would be very 

 easy to put in a few seeds around each 

 tree. 



The Tephrosia grows rather high, and 

 ought on this account to be cut down 

 once or twice a year, but in other 

 respects this height gives the plant a 

 great advantage, when fighting lalang 

 and other high weeds. As it is not a 

 creeper it may safely be plan ted to- 

 gether with rubber stumps, coffee, etc., 

 without fear of their being interfered 



with ; and as it is a good fertiliser, has 

 few natural enemies, is very hardy and 

 propagates itself when once established, 

 it must be considered an ideal plant for 

 its purpose. 



Under the conditions mentioned the 

 planting of Tephrosia represents a great 

 and direct saving. Having however 

 reached so far, it might be rather in- 

 teresting t j see, if the step could not be 

 taken in full, and the same plant be in- 

 troduced with advantage also in clean 

 estates. 



The question is what clean weeding 

 costs, and how much money could be 

 saved by planting Tephrosia. 



The general opinion is that 30 cents an 

 acre a month is a low price for weeding. 

 This is often not sufficient, and also it is 

 only the pay of the coolies and does not 

 include anything for management and 

 other consequent expenses, so that really 

 the expenses are much higher, and a 

 fair idea of what it costs would be 

 obtained by charging all expenses for 

 upkeep of an estate to weeding, as of 

 course little other work remains to be 

 done. 



If an estate when first planted up 

 could be left to itself until the trees 

 came into bearing, then the saving ought 

 to be at least $1'50 an acre a month, and 

 in many cases much more, or say as a 

 low figure $20'00 per annum ; and it new 

 remains to be seen what it costs to 

 establish Tephrosia, and if by this pro- 

 ceeding the above money could be saved. 



The first item is easy to settle, I have 

 found $4*00 an acre ample and to spare. 



The second point is also easy ; experi- 

 ence from abandoned estates and other 

 places show that, if not hampered by 

 lalang or grass, trees will grow as well 

 or better under natural conditions that 

 is in weeds, as in clean land. 



When now comparing the merits of 

 the two methods Ave get : — 



Tephrosia. 

 Cost of establishing Tephrosia ... |4'00 

 Weeding expenses for 5 years 



per acre ... ... ... $100-00 



Tephrosia. 



Cost of establishing Tephrosia ... $4 '00 



Keeping drains clean ... 1*00 



Land Rent... ... ... l'OO 



Cut down Tephrosia twice ... 2*00 



Various ... ... ... 1*00 



Supervision ... ... TOO 



Total cost 1st Year ... .. $10-00 



