THE BEST LEGUMINOUS PLANTS 179 



also after the natural growth of crab grass and weeds were turned under. 

 Where the vines were turned under, the yield of oats was 28.6 bushels per 

 acre and 1200 pounds of straw. Where only the stubble was plowed under, 

 the yield was 38.7 bushels per acre and 1672 pounds of straw. Similar 

 results were obtained from the plowing under of the cow peas. The average 

 crop of oats after the velvet beans was 33.6 bushels per acre, and after the cow 

 peas 31.6 bushels, while on the land where only the natural growth was 

 plowed under, the crop was 7.1 bushels per acre. This is one of the most 

 striking evidences of the value of the legumes that we have seen. We would 

 call attention to the increase in the crop from the plowing under of the 

 stubble rather than the whole plant. Not only was the crop of hay sacrificed, 

 but the crop of oats was much smaller where the entire crop was buried. 

 Another commentary on the folly of green manuring as commonly practiced. 

 The turning under of a mass of vegetation in the fall renders it impossible 

 to get the soil into the best condition for the winter grain, and no matter 

 whether it be oats or wheat the result will always be better when the crop 

 is saved as forage and only the stubble turned. The amount of nitrogen the 

 velvet bean can get in a favorable climate is well shown in the Alabama 

 bulletin. A field of velvet beans was grown on very poor land, with 240 

 pounds of acid phosphate and 48 pounds of muriate of potash per acre. The 

 yield of green forage was 19,040 pounds per acre. The weight of the hay 

 after five days curing was 8,240 pounds per acre. Samples were taken for 

 analysis, and it was found that the hay and the roots stubble left in the 

 ground there were 201.2 pounds of nitrogen per acre. This was equal to that 

 contained in 2,800 pounds of cotton seed meal. "As the soil was very poor, 

 the greater part of this nitrogen must have been obtained from the air. The 

 yield of hay on this field was unusually large, but even if half this amount 

 be taken as an average yield, we must have still a most impressive lesson as 

 to the value of leguminous plants for storing up nirtogenous fertilizing 

 material for the enrichment of the soil." It is evident, then, that it would 

 be a waste for any farmer to buy nitrogenous fertilizer after the growing of 

 such a crop. While the velvet bean will not mature seed with any certainty 

 north of the Gulf States, I am decidedly of the opinion that as far north as 

 Southeast Virginia the plant can be grown profitably for the reclamation 

 of run down lands, but for hay purposes it cannot compete with the cow pea 

 anywhere north of Florida. 



THE PEANUT. 



The peanut, while grown mainly as a commercial crop, is, nevertheless, 

 one of the legumes ; which, if it were properly used, would rank with the soil 



