552 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



beans were grown successfully with an abundance of nodules on the 

 roots the season previous. This soil may be applied through the fertilizer 

 attachment or sown broadcast over the field and harrowed in. Three 

 hundred pounds of soil is sufficient to inoculate one acre. The soil should 

 be protected from the sun at all times, since bright sunlight injures the 

 bacteria. The soil method of inoculation has been very successful. The 

 glue method may be used when it is not convenient to secure large quan- 

 tities of soil. From one to one and one-half ounce of carpenters' glue 

 is dissolved in a quart of water and sprinkled over a bushel of seed, 

 which has been spread out on the barn floor. The seed is shoveled over 

 so that the glue solution will come in contact with each seed. About a 

 quart of fine soil that has been secured from a soy bean field where the 

 roots had an abundance of nodules is sprinkled over the seed. The soil 

 should be screened to remove stones and clods. The glue method has 

 also been successful, the piire culture method is being used largely, how- 

 ever, due to the ease of securing the culture and simplicity of applica- 

 tion. 



METHOD OF PLANTING. 



The method of planting soy beans will depend largely upon the use 

 which is to be made of the crop. 



For hay and green manure. Soy beans may be planted in rows 28 

 Inches apart, with an ordinary grain drill, by leaving open the second, 

 sixth and tenth hole. When ])lanted in this; manner, the soy beans should 

 receive an occasional cultivation. 



If the land is free from weeds and there is sufficient moisture to carry 

 the crop, larger yields and a finer quality of hay can be secured by plant- 

 ing with the ordinary grain drill all holes open and drill rows seven 

 inches apart. On the Experiment Station Farm, East Lansing, the past 

 season, 799 pounds more hay per acre was secured by the latter method. 

 No cultivation is necessary when planted in this manner, which is an 

 important factor when labor is scarce. 



For ensilage and hogging-off. When soy beans are to be sown with 

 corn for ensilage or hogging-off a special soy bean attachment shonbl be 

 secured for the corn-planter. This attachment consists of a separate 

 drill and grain-box, so that it is not necessary to mix the corn and soy 

 beans. The practice of mixing the corn and soy beans and drilling from 

 the same grain Box is not very satisfactory because the soy beans are 

 round and smooth and soon Avork to the bottom of the box and an even 

 stand of corn and soy beans is not secured. When only a small acreage 

 is to be planted tliis may be overcome quite largely by putting in a small 

 quantity of seed and mixing frequently. Experiments indicate that the 

 yield of corn may be decreased from P> to 5 bushels when planted together. 



Soy beans sown at the last cultivation of corn seldom make a satis- 

 factory growth. Some farmers prefer to sow the corn and soy beans 

 se])arately and mix the two as they are put in the silo. AVhen this method 

 is followed the soy beans are sown the same as for haj'. 



For seed. The heaviest vield of sov bean seed is secured bv drilling 

 in rows from 28 to 32 inches apart, using an ordinary grain drill with 

 every fourth cnp open or jdanting with corn or bean drill. 



Amoiuit of seed required. When soy beans are planted in rows 28 

 inches apart it will require from two to three pecks of seed per acre, 



