NINETEENTH ANNUAL, YEAR BOOK— PART IX 511 



seed, it may not be extensively used as tlie cost of seeding is too great. 

 The rye also serves to help support the vetch and maks the crop easier to 

 harvest. This mixture will furnish green feed earlier in the spring than 

 any legume or other mixed crop. On farms where no pasture is available, 

 it may be wisely used. 



COWPEAS AND CORN. 



This crop has been used for soiling purposes in some sections, and par- 

 ticularly in the south, where it will give heavy yields. Where the corn is 

 drilled thickly, however, as is practical for soilage purposes, cowpeas often- 

 times do not make a large growth, especially during dry seasons. On the 

 average, therefore, while cowpeas may increase the protein content of the 

 feed it does not greatly increase the yield and since corn is not widely used 

 for soilage the crop has not come into general use. 



COWrEAS AND CANE. 



As has been previously mentioned, fodder cane makes an excellent crop 

 for soiling purposes. From actual experience some men have stated that 

 it can be improved by sowing in mixture with cowpeas since the protein 

 content will be increased. However, where the amber cane is sown 

 thickly so that the stalks do not become too coarse the cowpeas usually do 

 not make much growth. Larger and more economical yields of forage can 

 usually be obtained by sowing the cane alone rather than by adding cow- 

 peas. The mixture is palatable and eaten readily by the cows with but 

 little waste where fed in a manger. 



This mixture has been tried on several occasions at this station, and 

 though it was a good feed the sowing of the cowpeas proved to be simply an 

 additional expenditure. Though the cowpeas were valuable for increasing 

 the nitrogen content of the soil and adding protein to the feed, they were 

 readily crowded out by the cane. The time of sowing and of harvesting 

 was the same for the cane and cowpeas as for the cane alone. The yields 

 obtained were slightly lower in the case of the cane and cowpeas and the 

 cost per ton slightly higher. 



' SOYBEAN MIXTURES. 



Soybeans have been grown in various combinations in much the same 

 way as have the cowpeas. They are more desirable for use in mixtures 

 than the cowpeas as the plants are better adapted to Iowa conditions, and 

 are equally palatable. Soybeans have also been grown in mixtures with 

 cowpeas but for this locality other forages will give more satisfactory 

 results. 



CLOVER AND TIMOTHY. 



Red clover and timothy have been used for soiling purposes. The value 

 of the crop is usually enriched by adding alsike to the mixture. Under the 

 majority of conditions, however, it will be found more satisfactory to mature 

 this crop for hay rather than to attempt to feed it green. It is not as 

 palatable as some of the other crops and does not yield heavily, which 

 renders it less suitable for soilage purposes. 



