548 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The increased acreage of soj' beaus planted for hay, ensilage and green 

 manuring has created a heavy demand for seed of the better varieties. 

 Yields of from 12 to IG bushels per acre are usually secured while yields 

 as high as 25 to 30 bushels per acre have been reported. The soy bean 

 is not seriously affected by blight, rust, and anthracnose, which fre- 

 quently damage common field beans quite seriously. Owing to its high 

 percentage of fat and protein, soy bean seed is sometimes fed as a con- 

 centrate. The seed ranks with cotton seed meal and oil meal in fat and 

 protein content. 



Soy beans are a valuable green manuring crop. The view above shows uoybeans drilled on an impoverished 



sandy loam soil. 



VARIETIES. 



The selection of the variety is of great importance as shown by tests 

 conducted during the past six years, some varieties yielding from three 

 to four times as much forage as others. 



The following varieties are considered among the best for Michigan 

 conditions : 



Maiichu, 

 Ito San, 

 Early Brown, 

 Black Eyebrow. 

 The Mammoth Yellow and Ogemaw are quite inferior for forage pur- 

 poses. The Ogemaw matures very early and produces but little plant 

 growth comparatively, while the Mammoth is quite late in maturing, and 

 consequently, not adapted to tliis state. 



In northern Michigan counties, the Early Black is apparently the best 

 adapted variety. 



The following table gives the yields iji pounds per acre of air-dry hay 



