152 AGRICULTURE 



some two hundred varieties are cultivated for human food, 

 furnishing a staple article of diet in many regions. They 

 have not proved palatable to Americans, however, and are 

 raised in this country chiefly as a forage crop. 



Where red clover or alfalfa can be successfully grown, 

 soy-beans will have little place, since they are less profitable. 

 They are especially adapted to the cotton belt, however, 

 and to the southern portion of the corn belt. Since soy- 

 beans are drought resistant, they also grow well in the semi- 

 arid regions of the West. They have as yet made little 

 headway as a crop in this region because of the ravages of 

 the rabbits, which find their foliage a savory delicacy. 



Feeding value. The soy-bean has as great feeding 

 value for stock as alfalfa, and is worth more than cotton- 

 seed-meal as a food for hogs, sheep or cattle. The straw, 

 after all the grain has been removed, is as valuable as tim- 

 othy hay, and even more palatable to most farm animals. 



Like other legumes, the soy-bean adds to the fertility 

 of the soil in which it grows, and therefore possesses a 

 double value to the farmer. 



4. The Peanut 



Peanuts are grown in this country chiefly in the south 

 Atlantic region. The plant produces stems from one to two 

 and one-half feet in length. It has rather small leaves, 

 growing three in a cluster. After flowering, the stems pen- 

 etrate into the soil, where the pods or nuts are produced be- 

 neath the surface. 



Uses of peanuts. Peanuts are produced largely for 

 their use as human food. Besides the roasted nuts sold on 

 nearly every street corner, large quantities are made into 

 peanut butter, oil, etc. The vines make an excellent forage 

 for stock. Certain varieties are grown in the South ex- 

 clusively as forage for hogs. 



