626 



Journal of Agriculture. Victoria. [ii Sept., 191 i 



Inpculation of the Seed. — On new land, it is advisable, if possible, ta 

 inoculate the seed with soil from an old soy bean field. Plants that be- 

 come inoculated with tubercles gi\e a much better crop of beans than those 

 that are not inoculated. In the United States a number of different methods 

 for inoculation were tried, and the only satisfactory one was found to be 

 placing the infected soil in direct contact with the beans. If the infected 

 soil is sown broadcast or ploughed in. the results obtained are never 

 satisfactory ; 206 lbs. or 300 lbs. of infected soil will be sufficient for one- 

 acre and it is probable that a field once inoculated will always remain, 

 inoculated. 



Harvesting 

 Seed. 



The flowers are 

 either purple or 

 white according^ 

 to variety and are 

 c<impletely self 

 tfrtile ; bagged 

 1)1 ants set pods 

 })frfectly as those 

 in the open. The 

 abundant pollen 

 • if each flower 

 covers the stigma 

 almost as soon a.'v 

 the flower opens. 

 In nearly all 

 varieties, the 



leaves turn yel- 

 low as the pods 

 riprii, and most 

 have fallen by 

 the time the pods. 

 .in- mature. On 

 tliis acxount. it is- 

 difficult to cut 

 the crop for 

 grain and save- 

 thf foliage as. 

 well. A very few 

 varieties retain 

 their leaves, an- 



example being the " \Visc<jnsin Black." The pods are in clusters up to- 

 fi\-e or more, and a single plant may bear 400 pods, but the most I have 

 seen is 52. 



There is a continuous succession of varieties from early to very late. 

 With very few exceptions earliness is correlated with size, the largest 

 varieties being latest. As with the cow pea. early sowing takes a longer 

 time to mature than late sowing. In general, the later the variety, the more 

 is its life period shortened by later sowing. As a general rule, the soy 

 bean, when wanted for seed, should be cut when the majority of the pods- 

 are setting brown in colour and about half the leaves have fallen. Some 



. . ••■I'll 



varieties shed their seed ver\- ea.~iilv when about ripe, and it is advisable 



SOY BEAN PLANT. 



