•20 The Bulletin. 



siiould be comparatively free from acidity and should contain the 

 bacteria peculiar to the particular crop to be grown. Possibly the 

 best way to get the inoculation is to secure soil from a field that has 

 grown the crop successfully and sow with the seed at the rate of 

 500 or more pounds of soil per acre. If only a limited quantity of 

 soil can be obtained, it will be well to moisten the seed and roll them 

 in the soil and plant and cover at once. 



When we realize that a ton of green cowpea vines, or soy bean 

 vines, or green clover contains as much plant food as a ton of stable 

 manure, we can better understand their value as a soil improver. 

 Chemical analvsis shows that hav made from the leinimes are as 

 rich in nitrogen as 8-2-2 fertilizers. Their fertilizing constituents 

 in 2.000 pounds of dry hay are as follows : 



Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. 



Phos. Acid. Nitrogen. Potash. 



Crimson clover 8.0 41.0 26.2 



Japan clover 6.0 41.4 27.8 



Red clover 7.6 41.4 44.0 



Peanut hay 5.8 35.2 



Cowpea hay 10.4 39.0 29.4 



Burr clover 10.7 43.3 32.0 



\^etch 21.4 45.4 56.6 



Alsike clover 13.4 46.8 54.6 



Alfalfa 10.2 43.8 23.6 



From the above it will be seen they are very rich in plant food, 

 especially in nitrogen and potash. 



COWPEAS. 



The cowpea is so well known by all our farmers that it is unneces- 

 sary to give any detailed instructions in regard to it. 



SOY BEAX. 



The soy bean is not as well known as the cowpea, but its introduc- 

 tion into every part of the State is very rapid. In many sections, 

 and on some soils it succeeds even better than the cowpea. Espe- 

 cially is this true in our mountains and on undrained soils. It will 

 thrive on soils too wet for the cowpea to grow. The bacteria peculiar 

 to the soy bean seems to be in most of our soils, therefore inoculation 

 is usually unnecessary. 



CRIMSON CLOVER. 



Crimson clover in many sections is not so well known, but should 

 find a home on every farm for the following reasons: (1) as a soil 

 improver; (2) as a hay crop; (3) as a winter cover crop; (4) for 

 early spring grazing. 



