BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 189 



SOY BEANS. 



The soy bean has l)ecome a cro}) of special importance throu<!;hout 

 the country, which is indicated by the hiro;e acreajje devoted to it in 

 1920 and the increased interest in the possibilities of the seed for food 

 and oil. The introduction of now varieties by the department has 

 been largely responsible for extending the growing area of the crop 

 not only in the Xorth and AYest but in the extreme South. 



Investigations with soy beans in 1920 included the testing of new 

 introductions, selected pure strains and hybrids, and of methods of 

 culture and harvesting; experimenting with seed of promising va- 

 rieties for human food and oil production; and extension work with 

 selected varieties. 



Breeding work with selections and introductions from China. Man- 

 churia, Japan, and Chosen (Korea) produced a large number of 

 promising sorts. Most of the varieties now grown in different parts 

 of the country are the result of investigations by the Department of 

 Agriculture. During the past year the iVIandarin, Easy Cook, Ak- 

 sarben, and Hoosier were placed in trade in the Northern States. 

 In the South the Otootan, Laredo, and Biloxi are being widely 

 grown. 



The Biloxi, Virginia. Manchu, Black Eyebrow, Mandarin. Hahto^ 

 P>asy Cook, and Wilson Five were distributed over a wide territory 

 in 1920, and most favorable reports were received. The Virginia, in 

 a test of varieties in the orange orchards of California, gave the. best 

 results and promises to be an excellent summer green-manure crop. 

 The Hahto and Easy Cook varieties have proved valuable for food 

 both as a green vegetable and as dried beans. In addition to investi- 

 gations of forage and food value, breeding work was conducted with 

 varieties Avith a view to develop a high content of oil and protein. 



COWPEAS. 



Extensive work Avith hybrids, selections, and introductions Avas 

 continued Avith the coAvpea. Investigations involving a large num- 

 ber of hybrid selections have developed several promising sorts Avhich 

 Avere tested throughout the coAvpea region and appeared superior to 

 many of the standard varieties. Extensive tests Avith the ncAv hybrid 

 developed by the bureau, the Victor, show that this ncAv variety is 

 highly resistant to the Avilt and nematode diseases in the South and 

 sii])erif)r to other resistant sorts in yield of grain and forage. Hybrid 

 and variety testing Avork Avith Blackeye and Avhite varieties for food 

 ]>urposes has inci-eased and has been conducted at many stations in 

 the ('OAV])ea region. Numerous hj-brids of the catjang and asparagus 

 Aurieties of coAvpea Avith resistant and other standard sorts of the 

 common cowpea Avere tested. 



VELVET BEANS. 



Interest in the velvet bean has continued to increase. OAving pvi- 

 marily to the development of new early-m;ituring varieties and a 

 recently eA^oh-ed variety, the Bush, or bunch, velvet bean. The Bush 

 variety is entirely nontAvining in iiabit, and a wide distribution of 

 seed in 1920 indicated it to be a most valuable sort, especially for the 

 onhards in the velvet-bean region. Considerable selection Avork 



