l82 SOJA, OR SOY BEAN 



preparations, which is unstained, there is one of these 

 cavities where the eggs have commenced their development : 

 instead of being homogeneous they enclose young larvae 

 ready to hatch." 



In practice, the attack of these eel-worms does not 

 seem to affect the plant in the least. They resist very well, 

 and the vegetation remains as fine as ever. 



SOJA, OR SOY BEAN. 



An ancient dictionary known as Kouang-ia describes the 

 soy bean under the name of ta-teou, or large pea, or, again as 

 sou. It is supposed that the word soja is a derivative of this 

 latter, which dates from the Han epoch. 



According to de CandoUe, this plant is a native of the 

 district comprised between Cochin China, the south of 

 Japan, and Java. 



It has been cultivated in China and Japan from the very 

 remotest times, and, as it is recorded in the celebrated 

 Materia Medica of Shetnon, its cultivation is estimated to 

 date back more than 5,000 years. 



In a treatise by Li-Yu-Ying and Grandvoinnet, published 

 in I' Agriculture pratique des pays chauds, it is said that 

 numerous ancient documents trace back the invention of 

 soja cheese to the great philosopher, Hainintze, a prince of 

 the Han dynasty. 



The soy bean is encountered throughout China and Asia, 

 and has been introduced into the United States and Europe. 



It has been studied by a number of writers, and is men- 

 tioned by Kaempper in 1690 in his " Amenitatum exoti- 

 carum." According to the " Hortus Kewensis " of Alton, it 

 was introduced into England in 1790; and into Italy in 1848, 

 if we follow Pinolini {" Delia Soia "). Since then this plant 

 has spread throughout Europe, and in 1880 soy beans were 

 put on the market by the firm of Vilmorin. 



