214 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



Ontario or in Minnesota, but has seen plants growing 

 vigorously in the Puget Sound country in Washing- 

 ton. Wherever the summer temperatures run high, 

 the horse bean will not succeed. In this fact we 

 have the explanation of the greater success which 

 attends its growth in Scotland than in the south of 

 England or in Ireland. 



In North America the climatic conditions best 

 adapted to the growth of this plant will probably 

 be found in the New England states, in the Mari- 

 time provinces of Canada, and in the country bor- 

 dering on the Pacific north from Portland, Ore., 

 and west of the most northerly range of the Rocky 

 mountains. In those areas this plant should cer- 

 tainly be tried as a soiling crop. In growing it 

 some large variety of peas sown along with the 

 beans would probably add to the bulk of the fodder 

 without lessening the quality of the same. 



The Velvet Bean. The velvet bean (Mucuna 

 utilis) is a vine-like plant which has been grown for 

 several years past in some sections of the Gulf 

 states as a trellis shade. During recent years it has 

 come to be regarded with more or less favor as a 

 food for live stock, as a mulch for orchards, and 

 as a means of fertilizing and otherwise improving 

 them where the land can be tilled. 'While it is not 

 considered suitable for providing pasture, it is 

 favorably spoken of as a soiling food, and the hay is 

 said to be superior to that made from cowpeas, since 

 it is less coarse in character. The seeds are very 

 rich in protein, and both vines and grain are said 

 to be much relished by live stock. It has been given 

 very high praise as a source of fertility, owing to 



