7G0 Grasses and Leguminous Ceops in New York 



be seen that the straw left after the removal of a crop of seed is not 

 to be despised as a source of roughage for ruminants. The methods 

 to be followed in growing soy beans for these several purposes 

 are given below. 



As a Soiling Crop 



The best plan is to sow early, medium, and late varieties, in 

 order to have the fodder in prime condition during a longer 

 period. This may also be accomplished by sowing the same va- 

 riety at different times. For example, by sowing Ito San, 

 Medium Green, and Mammoth Yellow as early as the ground is 

 warm enough for corn planting, one should have green soy bean 

 fodder in good condition for a period of six weeks. 



The soil preparation for soy beans is essentially the same as for 

 a good crop of corn. The soy beans must have plenty of available 

 nitrogen, either from manures or from inoculation and consequent 

 tubercle formation on the roots. They respond well to phosphatic 

 fertilizers, but are not so sensitive to the lack of lime in soils as 

 are the clovers. 



To produce a full stand of gTeen fodder, it is probably best to 

 sow the seed through a grain drill at the rate of 1 to 1^2 bushels 

 of seed per acre, according to the size of the seeds. The rows may 

 be as narrow as twenty-four inches, thus allowing clean cultiva- 

 tion until the leaves begin to spread across the row. Cultivation 

 is a considerable factor in securing good yields of fodder. With 

 its aid one may harvest as high as ten tons of the green fodder per 

 acre on good land. Thorough preparation of the seed bed before 

 planting is very desirable, as it is with other intertilled crops. 

 Harvesting may begin when the plants are out of bloom, and 

 continue until the pods are filled. 



For Silage 

 Essentially, silage is preserved green fodder, hence it follows 

 that the same practices that will make a successful growth of soy 

 beans for soiling will apply to the crop when grown for the silo. 

 The chief differences are that only one kind need be grown, as the 

 crop is all cut at once, and when it is ensiled it should be mixed 

 with corn in the proportion of 1 part bean fodder to 3 or 4 of corn 



