Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1911 — Farm and Garden [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Farm and Garden

VALUE OF THE SOY BEAN. Not Liked For Human Food, but Growing In Importance For Forage. The soy bean, also called the “soja bean,” Is a native ofrsoutbeastern Asia and has been extensively cultivated iD Japan, China and India since ancient times. Tlie beans are there grown almost entirely for human food. Their flavor, however, does not commend them to Caucasian appetites. As a forage crop, however, soy beans have become of increasing importance in parts of the United States, especially

[From bulletin of United States department of agriculture.] southward. They have been tested at most of the state agricultural experiment stations, and it is clear that their region of maximum importance will be south of the red clover area and in sections where alfalfa cannot be grown successfully. They thus compete principally with cowpeas, but as cultivation is usually required they fill a somewhat different agricultural need. Their culture has greatly increased in recent years, especially in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky and the southern part of Illinois and Indiana. It seems certain that the crop will become one of great importance in the regions mentioned and probably over a much wider area. The earlier varieties mature even in Minnesota, Ontario and Massachusetts. As a hay plant the soy bean cannot successfully compete with red clover or alfalfa. The soy bean is especially adapted to the cotton halt and northward into the southern part of the corn belt. The early varieties mature in the northern part of the corn belt, but frequently do not make a sufficient yield to warrant growing them. Farther south, where the later aud larger varieties can be grown, the yield is sufficient to make their extensive cultivation very profitable. Generally speaking, the soy bean requires about the same temperature as coni. It is perhaps even better adapted to a warm climate and does not do well in a cool climate. The soil requirements of soy beans are much the same as those of corn.; They will make a Satisfactory growth on poorer soli than corn, provided inoculation is present, but will not make nearly as good a growth on poor soil as cowpeas. Soy beans make their best developement on fairly fertile loams or clays. The Mammoth variety also succeeds well on sandy soils. Ou rich soils all varieties are apt to make a Large plant growth and a comparatively small yield of seed and on the poorer soils a small plant ..growth with a relatively large seed yield. Soy beans do not require a well drained soil for their best development, although they will not grow in a soil where water stands for any considerable length qf time. However, they are able to withstand a greater amount of moisture than either corn or cowpeas. ■ Soy beans are also decidedly drought resistant,' much niorh'so than cowpeas. and but for the depredations of Ale Bits would be a valuable crop in the semiarid west. Rabbits are exceed ! ingly fond of the foliage, and where they are numerous it is nearly use less to plant soy beans unless tbe field can be inclosed with rabbit proof fencing. The matter of variety is of special importance in soy beans, as many growers have been sorely disappointed In getting a small early variety when they desired a larger and later sort.—Bulletin United; States Department of Agriculture. Save Your Plows. To keep the plow from rusting coat the mdldboard with axle grease or lin seed oil when the plow is put away.

The conservation erf our national resources is a good policy, as we are all agreed, but the conservation of the commonly wasted resources of the farm is another policy of much grea'er personal concern to the individual farmer.

FIELD OF MAMMOTH SOY BEANS IN NORTH CAROLINA.