568 the farmers' handbook. 



VELVET BEANS.* 



The velvet bean is practically unknown in New South Wales as a farm 

 crop, yet in the southern states of America it is very largely grown, and in 

 South Africa it is stated to be " without exception, the most important crop 

 introduced into Rhodesia." 



On the North Coast, where the climatic conditions most suit this crop, one 

 cannot but be struck with the extremely copious growth it makes, easily 

 outyielding any of the cowpeas and soybeans, and being especially capable 

 of making good growth on land too poor to grow cowpeas successfully. 



When grown on an experimental scale this vigorous growth of the velvet 

 bean has been observed more in the light of a valuable green manure or 

 cover crop, and little is apparently known of the plant here as a fodder crop. 

 In the other countries mentioned velvet beans are valued very highly as a 

 palatable and nutritious stock feed — especially for cattle and pigs. 



Valuable Winter Pasture. 



It is as a winter pasturage that the velvet bean excels. Even with the 

 c< Id winters experienced in America it is stated that velvet beans will 

 remain in the field all through the winter, weather conditions having such 

 little harmful effect on the vines, leaves, and pods. With the shortage of 

 1 1 ed during the winter, particularly in the specialised dairying districts on 

 the far North Coast, where paspalum is chiefly relied on and where little 

 winter fodder is grown, velvet beans seem destined to fill a place as a cheap 

 winter feed for cattle, especially with the appeal they make on account of 

 their ease of handling as a winter grazing crop. Leguminous fodders should 

 be welcomed here on account of the shortage of protein in the usual farm- 

 grown feeds, and the recognised necessity for its purchase in the form of 

 bran, oil-meal, &c, and the velvet bean is well worthy of a trial. 



The usual practice in the southern states of America is to sow velvet 

 beans in the maize crop. Owing to the immense growth made by the velvet 

 beans, sowing at the same time as maize in the same rows, is undesirable 

 owing to the velvet beans pulling down and smothering the maize stalks and 

 rendering the harvesting of the maize difficult or impossible. After fifteen 

 years' experience, the Massachusetts Experiment Station found that the 

 ideal method was to sow two rows of maize 3 feet apart to one of velvet beans 

 sown six weeks later than the maize. By this means the best of the maize 

 can be pulled with little trouble when mature, leaving the nubbins and the 

 velvet bean fodder for winter grazing. 



The amount of grazing afforded depends on the growth of the velvet beans 

 and on the amount of maize not harvested, but the Massachusetts Experiment 

 Station states that it is the custom to allow one- third or one-half acre per 

 month per cow. A good picking for pigs is also afforded from the trampled 

 vines and beans if they are allowed to follow the cattle. 



Velvet Beans for Seed. 



Only on the North Coast is it possible to get velvet beans to mature a 

 good crop of beans, and the value of these as a concentrated feed entitles 

 them to some consideration. 



Seed may be harvested from the field sown with maize, as mentioned 

 above, before stock are turned in, or a separate small field may be sown 



* H. Wenliolz, B.Sc.(Agi\), Inspector of Agriculture. 



