■22S 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



reaper is much better. In cutting for ensilage, the self binder is the best machine, and 

 it is easier to handle the crop and run it through the cutter." 



There are a great many varieties of Soy beans and their number is gradually increas- 

 ing. Unfortunately, the naming of varieties of this new plant has become badly mixed. 

 There are a number of different sorts which will thrive well in our Michigan latitudes. 

 Until the names of the several varieties are more definitely fixed, it will perhaps be best 

 for the Michigan farmer to buy seeds produced in Michigan and learn, in a small way 

 by his own experience, the varieties best adapted to his soil and conditions. 



Nearly all the dwarf varieties mature their seeds in this State, but they grow only a 

 small quantity of vine. The Early Yellow Soys, if true to name, will also ripen seeds 

 in the southern half of Michigan. The Medium Green, under favorable conditions, will 

 ripen in the central and southern part, while the Early Black will require a little 

 longer season. Attempts to ripen the Soys by planting early are generally unsuccessful, 

 because the plants will not make a healthy normal growth until the temperature has 

 reached a certain degree. It, therefore, results that early planting simply prolongs 

 the period of growth, and it is better to delay the planting until after the 15th of May 

 and give the ground the benefit of a longer period of thorough cultivation instead of an 

 unnecessary long season for the plants to grow. 



Feeding Value of Soy Beans. — Mr. G. W. Buckalew of Allen, Hillsdale county, Mich., 

 writes as follows: 



"I have been feeding Soy bean-meal to veal lambs this winter, and find they never 

 did better than they are doing now. I use less oil-meal and bran than usual. Have come 

 to the conclusion that the beans take the place of both to a large degree. If this is true, 

 why would it not be policy for farmers to raise them and save expense of buying oil- 

 meal and bran?" 



Mr. Walter Vetterly of Battle Creek, Mich., has been feeding one quart of Soy bean- 

 meal with about three times its bulk of corn and cob-meal and oats to his milch cows. 

 Upon removing the feed of Soy beans there was a decided shrinkage in the flow of milk. 



Five samples of Soy beans were analyzed by the chemist of the Experiment Station 

 this season, resulting as follows: 



Extra early black 



No. 2 medium early green 



No. 3 medium early black 



No. 4 Ito San or medium early yellow 

 Medium early yellow '..'. 



Ash. 



Percent. 



4.94* 



5.07 



4.69 



4.48 



5.63 



Mr. T. T. Higgins of Bailey, Cass county, sowed Soy beans, using two bushels of seed 

 on four acres. Sowed in rows 36 inches apart with shoe drill. Cultivated only once. 

 Threshed with flails, but didn't try to get all the seed. Cut the last of August, raked 

 and let lie in windrow until dry, then put it in the bai*n. 



He says: 'Although perfectly ripe and dry when cut, and the straw very woody, 

 the cattle and horses eat it all up with as great a relish as I ever knew them to eat 

 clover hay." 



Mr. A. M. Todd tried Soy beans on his muck farm at Pearle, Allegan county, getting 

 enormous growth of plants, but practically no mature seeds. 



Mr. John Dunning of Cassopolis sowed Soy beans on light clay loam soil on June 5. 

 The seed was sown in drills 30 inches apart, the same as white beans. Stood the hot 

 weather better than the cow peas. Sowed one-half bushel on one-half acre and threshed 

 10 bushels of seed. 



Considering the high protein and fat content of the Soy bean seed, together with its 

 liigh digestibility, it seems quite probable that this plant will be grown for its grain 

 to balance up the more highly carbonaceous foods produced upon tl>e Michigan farms. 

 The yield of seed per acre ranges from 10 to 30 bushels. Where the seed lias been used in 

 the grain ration, it is generally ground, and the ground Soy bean-meal seems to be serv- 

 ing as a substitute for the cotton-seed and linseed-meal. Massachusetts Experiment 

 Station Report for 1893 gives an account of an experiment where Soy bean-meal proved 

 superior to cotton-seed-meal for milch cows. 



In Kansas Experiment Station Bulletin No. 92 five experiments are recorded giving 



