II Sept., 191 i] The Soy Bean. 621 



THE SOY BEAN. 



Victor Deschamf, Analyst. Agricultural Laboratory. 



Despite the favourable reports published in numerous scientific and trade 

 publications throughout the world, the cultivation of the Soy Bean has not 

 yet been seriously undertaken in Victoria. Although it is unlikely that 

 the bean can be grown in this State cheaply enough to compete with the 

 Chinese product, principally on account of the difference in the cost in 

 labour, it should be a remunerative crop. As a fodder crop, as a soil re- 

 newer, and as a green manure, it has been successfully grown in countries 

 •other than its native habitat and under varying climatic conditions. A.s 

 there are over 300 known varieties and hybrids, some of these should be 

 -suitable for different parts of this State. 



Economic Uses. 



The home of the Soy Bean is in Manchuria and Japan and has been 

 •grown there in large quantities for centuries, but until a few years ago no 

 attempt was made to grow it elsewhere on a commercial scale, in the 

 •countries named a small part of the oil, 6 to 8 per cent, only, was 

 extracted by primitive presses, and the residual oil cake used as a fertilizer. 

 The imports of cake to Japan in 1905 were 182,000 tons, while in 1909 

 the enormous amount of 600,000 tons was exported to Japan alone, show- 

 ing that its use as a fertilizer is greatly on the increase, in spite of com- 

 petition with artificial fertilizers. The estimated total crop in Manchuria 

 for 1909 was over 1,500,000 tons of shelled beans. The photographs 

 ^reproduced on the following page will give some idea of the export trade 

 -at Darien (Manchuria) during that year. 



The first large cargo of soy beans consigned to England arrived in 

 Hull in March 1909, and amounted to 5,200 tons, and before July of the 

 same year, contracts had been made for the delivery of no less than 200,000 

 tons, to be utilized for oil extraction and the residual cake for cattle food. 

 According to the London '' Times '" of i9th July, 1910, the requirements 

 ■of the following season in England were estimated at over one million tons. 

 At the minimum price of jQS 10s. per ton this means a business of 

 ;^6,5oo,ooo, but it is doubtful if tht* beans can be bought under about jQ^ 

 per ton, owing to shortage of supply. That an industry of such vast pro- 

 portions should spring up in a few years indicates that all the opportunities 

 of commerce are not closed to those who have foresight enough to starch 

 for new openings for trade. 



Food for Human Consumption. J'lic beans form an important article 

 of diet for the Chinese and Japanese, being used in some form or other 

 at almost every meal, and by all classes of people. They aie highly 

 nutritious, containing a large amount of edible oil (15 to 20 per cent, of 

 the seed) ; they are also very rich in proteiils and Injue-forming mineral 

 matter — phosphates, potash and lime are prest-nt in large amounts. The 

 most abundant salt in the ash is sodium phosphate. The protein is present 

 in amounts \arying from 30 to 42 per cent, of the lu-an, anil is remark- 

 iilile in that it consists mainly of albumt-noids that resemble milk east-in in 

 composition and digestibility ; in this respect it differs from ;u\y other 

 known bean. 



Soy bean milk and sauce prepar.itions. and also the oil, are very 

 luitritioMs articles of diet. 



