132 
For some time experiments have had been carried on 
with a view to introduce a plant, which would be able to 
keep weeds out and at the same time itself benefit or at least 
do no harm to the rubber trees, and for this purpose T 
have found Tephrosia purpurea admirably adapted. 
As this plant, seed of which was kindly presented me 
by Dr. Treub of Buitenzorg, is new to the F. M. >S., some 
information of how it was established may be of interest. 
The first plot was only 20' by 40' and was planted up 
with one or two seeds in every square foot. The place was 
then clean of weeds but had not been changkolled, 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 4 
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 bas not been 
weeded since the end of August 1907, viz ; during 19 months. 
One creeper 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 ad- 
vantage in growth of trees, but they certainly look as good 
as any in mv clean weeded area. 
To make the Tephrosia grow m hedges has the ad- 
vantage of a better air-circulation around tlSe roots, and it 
also makes it easier to get about when inspecting the plan- 
tation; but other methods have also advantages. To take 
