SOY BEANS. 



Special Bulletin No. 100 



C. R. MEGEE^ FARM CROPS SECTION. 



Interest in soy beans has increased greatly in Michigan during the 

 past two years due to the following reasons : First, frequent failure of 

 clover has made it necessary to secure an emergency hay crop which will 

 furnish hay the same season as planted ; second, increase in favor of the 

 practice of sowing soy beans with corn for ensilage and hogging-off ; 

 third, increased demand for northern grown soy bean seed throughout 

 Michigan and bordering states; fourth, greater use of soy beans as a 

 green manuring crop. 



Since this crop is a comparatively new one, its value in Michigan agri- 

 culture will depend very largely on its proper use which makes necessary 

 accurate knowledge of the nature of the plant, the time, rate and method 

 of sowing, inoculation, varieties, method of harvesting and feeding value. 



The soy bean is an annual plant, in that it grows and matures the 

 same season under favorable conditions. It is a legume and w'heu inocu- 

 lated takes free nitrogen from the air and stores it in its tissues and in 

 the soil, thereby making the crop a valuable one for improving soils de- 

 ficient in nitrogen and organic matter. This fact makes it a better crop 

 to .substitute on ground where clover has failed, than some of the non- 

 leguminous crops such as millet and sudan grass which often leaves the 

 land in poor condition for a following crop. Chemical analyses show 

 that soy bean hay is higher in protein than clover haj', and that when 

 properly cured it makes a valuable substitute. Of recent years failures 

 with clover seedings have been frequent, due to the lack of lime, organic 

 matter and available plant food. When possible it is a better farm 

 practice to correct the deficiency in the soil by the application of ground 

 limestone or marl, barnyard manure and acid phosphate and make possi- 

 ble good crops of clover and alfalfa, rather tlian to (le])end u])on substi- 

 tute hay crops. However if clover or alfalfa hay is lacking, adapted 

 varieties of soy beans offer an excellent substitute and quick returns. 



While soy beans apparently are of greatest value in this State as an 

 emergency hay crop, they are used in a number of other ways. When a 

 late spring or early summer-sown leguminous greeu manuring crop is 

 desired, the soy bean is preferable because of its comparatively high 

 yield per acre. When corn is to be liogged-off, a practice increasing in 

 favor in lower Michigan counties, soy beans may be planted at the same 

 time as the corn, thereby supplying more feed of a greater variety and 

 higher protein content than corn alone. Only varieties that will produce 

 well-filled pods should be used for this purpose. Soy beans are frequently 

 planted with corn for ensilage, a practice which is increasing in favor 

 in Southern and Central Michigan. 



