Minor Cereals, OU-bearing and Leguminous Seeds. 161 



V. Leguminous Seeds. 

 Digestible nuirients and fertilizing constituents. 



228. The field pea. — The field pea is extensively grown in 

 Canada for stock feeding, succeeding also along the northern rim 

 of the com belt and still farther north, where in some measure it 

 takes the place of corn for feeding purposes. The richness of the 

 pea in protein marks it as particularly useful with growing ani- 

 mals, dairy cows and pigs. A part of the protein in peas as well 

 as in other leguminous seeds is identical in composition with the 

 casein of milk, and is termed ''vegetable" casein. This has led 

 some writers to affirm that meals from these seeds are useful in 

 mixtures for calf feeding. Pea meal is sodden in character and 

 too heavy to be fed as the only grain allowance. It should be 

 lightened or extended by mixing with it bran, ground oats or corn 

 meal. 



Peas may be harvested while still green by turning pigs into the 

 pea field as soon as the seeds are well formed. Under this sys- 

 tem the animals harvest the crop without labor to the stockman, 

 and, receiving that sort of food which forms bone and muscle, 

 they are prepared for final fattening on corn or other dry food. 

 Peas are often sown with oats, the latter plants forming support 

 for the weak vines. (Ill, 311, 860) 



229. Soja (soy) bean. — This Japanese plant flourishes in the 

 Southern states and as far north as Kansas. In Japan it serves 

 for human food, but in this country it is used only by stock- 

 men. Like all leguminous seeds, the soja bean is rich in pro- 

 tein, standing perhaps at the head of the list; unlike many in 

 its class, it is also rich in oil. Because the seeds must be 



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