A PASTURE HANDBOOK 37 



pasture very early in the spring, without preparation, or the pasture 

 may be hghtly disked. Korean lespedeza used in tliis way has given 

 good results as far west as eastern Kansas. North of the Ohio River, 

 too few trials have been made to determine whether such practice will 

 prove succt^ssful. In la5dng down new pastures, a few pounds of 

 lespedeza seed per acre in the mixture will increase the grazing in 

 midsummer. 



SOYBEANS 



Soybeans make excellent supplemental grazing, either seeded alone 

 or in combination with Sudan grass. The best time for seeding in 

 region 1 is unmediately after corn-planting time, but the grazing 

 season may be extended in region 2 by making successive seedings at 

 intervals of 1 month from March 15 to June 15. 



Less waste in grazing occiu-s when soybeans are grown in cultivated 

 rows than when they are drilled or broadcast. An excellent method of 

 using soybeans for grazing is to seed them in rows, and after the first 

 cultivation of the soybeans, seed a row of Sudan grass between the 

 rows of soybeans. Such a combination supphes more grazing than 

 the soybeans alone. 



In order to obtain the full value of soybean pasture the field must be 

 divided into sections by temporary fences, and these sections grazed 

 in rota'tion in order to allow the beans time to recover between 

 grazing periods. Much more grazing can be obtained in this manner 

 than by continuous grazing. If dry weather intervenes the soybeans 

 will not recover if heaA^ly grazed, but under favorable soil and rainfall 

 conditions the Biloxi variety has been grazed tliree tunes diu-ing the 

 season. This variety is said to be especially successful in producing a 

 new crop of leaves after having been partially defohated by grazing. 

 Soybeans are recommended particularly for dairy cows and sheep. 

 However, the animals should be left on the soybeans for only a few 

 hours in the forenoon and for a Hke period in the afternoon, being 

 removed after each grazing period to a grass turf on which they can 

 he down. 



Soybeans are usually ready to be grazed 60 days after being seeded. 

 At that time they should be 12 to 18 inches tall and will not have 

 begun to bloom. Grazing may continue until late fall, because they 

 are less susceptible than Sudan grass to injury from light frosts. 

 The Biloxi is a late-maturing variety and other varieties would be 

 preferable in section 1-a and the northern half of 1-b. Locally 

 adapted varieties recommended by the State agricultural experiment 

 station or extension service should be used. 



Cowpeas are best suited for use as hay or green manure, but in the 

 Cotton Belt they are often seeded in alternate rows with corn and 

 grazed in the same manner as velvetbeans after the corn has been 

 harvested. Some farmers prefer the cowpea to the velvetbean for 

 interplanting with corn because the vines are not so heavy and inter- 

 fere less in gathering the corn. For young hogs especially cowpeas are 

 an excellent grazing crop, and but little additional grain is needed to 

 bring them to market weight if the cowpeas are grazed when the 

 majority of pods are mature. The hogs feed mostly on the pods and 

 leave the vines and leaves, which may be grazed off by cattle or sheep 

 after the hogs have been removed. 



