76 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 



cover and completely bury, and in this way almost 

 exterminate, that most dreaded of Southern weeds — 

 Johnson grass. 



When green, velvet bean vines are not at first 

 particularly relished by stock, but a taste is soon 

 acquired for them ; the partially ripened pods in the 

 fall, however, furnish very rich pasturage. The 

 vines, if cut and cured into hay, are eaten readily and 

 are very nutritious, but they are so long and tangled 

 that they are difficult to cut and handle. 



It is often found quite difficult to properly plow 

 under and incorporate with the soil the dense mass 

 of vegetation produced by a crop of velvet beans. 



By first passing a roller over the field, or a log 

 drag, to flatten them down, a sharp disk plow will 

 bury them very satisfactorily, and the vines rot 

 quickly in the ground and in the course of a month 

 will have so far disappeared as not to interfere with 

 cultivation. On heavy lands the best results will be 

 secured by cross plowing after three or four weeks. 

 On lighter soils this second plowing will not be 

 needed, and the land can be put in perfect tilth by 

 the use of a disk harrow. There is considerable 

 prejudice on the part of some against incorporating 

 so large a mass of green vegetation with a light, 

 sandy soil for fear of creating an acid condition ; 

 this danger is in most cases more fancied than real, 

 though many people on sandy land prefer to allow 

 the vines to die and dry out on the surface before 

 plowing them under ; this will always be the better 

 plan when the land is not going to be immediately 

 utilized for planting some crop. 



