2l6 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



cultivation given is the same as for other beans until 

 the runners extend so far that it cannot be longer 

 continued. 



It has been claimed that the velvet bean can 

 be successfully grown when all the conditions are 

 quite favorable to the growth of Indian corn, but 

 this claim is probably extravagant since even in 

 Louisiana the plants do not always mature all the 

 seed produced. It is questionable if the velvet bean 

 in its present form can be made to render substantial 

 benefits to agriculture as far north as the fortieth 

 parallel of latitude. That it will be greatly helpful 

 to the farmers of the Gulf states is more than prob- 

 able, but rather as a soil cleaner and a soil renovator 

 than in producing soiling food. Owing to the 

 vine-like habit of growth which it possesses it 

 is likely to prove somewhat difficult to harvest. 

 It will not be easy to cut the vines cleanly, 

 and it will be more difficult still to handle them 

 when cut. 



Kale. Kale (Brassica oleracea) is of the same 

 species of plants as cabbage. In fact, kale may be 

 said to mean any variety of headless cabbage with 

 curled or crinkled leaves. And yet, paradoxical as 

 it may seem, there is a variety of kale grown in Great 

 Britain popularly spoken of as the "thousand-headed 

 kale." It is so called from the many miniature heads 

 which it produces on its numerous branches. It is 

 much prized by flockmasters as a food for lambs. 

 Some varieties of kale are very attractive in color 

 and also in the crinkled character of the leaves. In 

 the United States kale has been chiefly grown here- 

 tofore in gardens for its leaves which are boiled as 



