146 THE WHOLE ART OF RUBBER-CROWING 



CHAPTER XVI. 



The Soya Bean. 



O OYA BEAN (Glycine hispida or Glycine Soja) 

 ^ is perhaps one of the most valuable legumes 

 in the whole world of industrial commerce. It did 

 not make its appearance in Europe on any large scale 

 until two years ago, when an enterprising Liverpool 

 firm of produce brokers placed on the market about 

 5000 tons, with an invitation to the seed crushers to 

 test the bean as to its value both as an oil yielder 

 and as a feed for British cattle. The experiments all 

 round were an unqualified and immediate success, 

 and the trade at once placed an order for 60,000 tons. 

 Even this large consignment was not sufficient to 

 meet the enormous demands that had been created, 

 for the Continental market became interested, until 

 at the present time supply is short and prices are 

 mounting accordingly. 



We know very little of the origin or habits of the 

 soya bean, since there is practically no literature on 

 the subject. We do know, however, that the culti- 

 vated soya plant has a congenial home in Eastern 

 Asia, and the present writer has also met with it 

 either in its true form or as the wild Glycine 



