13654: Busey: Re: 13647: Lyall asks "leguminous trees?" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Philip Busey <philip@ayiti.com>

I think you may be referring to this article from August 22, 2002:
http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=1290999

There are a number of fast-growing legumes that have been used in the
tropics to produce forage and improve the soil by their association with
nitrogen fixing microorganisms.  The tree species have the added
benefits of providing firewood and fitting into hedgerows, and in some
cases they may be used either in rotation or as a companion crop along
with annual cultures.  Some even have a degree of shade tolerance, so as
has been shown in Australasia, it may even be possible to have a
perennial tree overstory such as palms, and a mixture of grasses and
legumes in the grazed understory.  Most of the fast-growing leguminous
trees, including Leucaena leucocephala, are fairly weedy, so propagation
and establishment are not serious challenges.  But it takes research and
proper timing to marry the right legume with the right annual crop.

In my opinion, much of the drier areas of Haiti would be more suitable
for naturalized grasses which would do the best job of soil
conservation, if managed as a perennial ecosystm in a careful paddock
rotation.  Legumes would have a place in hedgerows and extra source of
browse for goats.

Philip Busey


Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 13:55:55 -0600 (CST)
From: "Bob Corbett" <corbetre@webster.edu>
To: "Haiti mailing list" <haiti@lists.webster.edu>
Subject: 13647: Lyall asks "leguminous trees?" (fwd)

It was my copy of the Economist where  we saw  the
report on "leguminous trees" from  some UN development
group.

What are these mysterious beanish  trees?

>      Or maybe they could promote the growing of leguminous trees that
>      grow eight
>      feet in a year, replenish the soil and then can be used for
>      firewood. (Saw
>      it in the economist a few months back)
>
>
>
>We started the tree project with the charcoal ladies in the north,
>coaching
>them on planting in rotation so they can harvest the smaller branches in
>rotation, they can plant them around someone's garden, given them proper
>patchy
>shade for the garden, the leaves fall and fertilize -- win, win for
>everyone.