POPULAR SCIENCE 45 1 



Summary and Conclusion 



The soya-bean has been estabUshed for thousands of years 

 in Eastern countries as a staple food and valuable export. In 

 the United States it has become an important fodder crop, and 

 is rapidly gaining a high reputation as an oil seed. 



As a result of recent research, soya-bean varieties which are 

 suitable for many different soils and climates have become 

 known. The equipment necessary for handling the crop success- 

 fully as regards inoculation, treatment of land, machinery for 

 cultivating and harvesting the crop, and information concerning 

 optimum time for sowing, etc., can be obtained readily. The 

 actual food value of the soya-bean is shown by highly modern 

 methods of experiment to be especially high, both for human 

 beings and for stock. The oil from soya-beans can be widely 

 employed by soap, paint, and other manufacturers. 



Experiments in some parts of the British Empire show that 

 the local conditions are favourable to the cultivation of the soya- 

 bean, but difficulty in obtaining the necessary labour or the 

 great initial expense has prevented any serious attempt to start 

 soya-bean culture on an economic basis. At a time such as the 

 present, when it is essential for the Empire to make the best use 

 of every opportunity for the improvement of economic condi- 

 tions, it is hoped that we shall continue to encourage this promising 

 crop, so that we may avoid repeating the history of our belated 

 support of the sugar-beet. 



