128 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



reaper. But when grown for soiling or for hay it 

 is more commonly cut with the mower. When fed 

 green, the cutting may begin as soon as the period 

 of early bloom, and it may continue until the crop 

 is sufficiently matured for making hay. When cut 

 for hay, the seeds should be about half grown in the 

 pods. If the cutting be deferred to a later period, 

 many of the leaves will drop off and the stems will 

 become woody. Any excess in the crop of green 

 food should be cut for hay rather than allowed 

 to ripen. 



Since the yield of seed from crops thus grown 

 will not be abundant, the crop should not be allowed 

 to wilt overmuch when it is fed green, lest there 

 should be some loss from the leaves dropping off. 

 The method of feeding is much the same as that 

 followed in feeding peas. When soy beans are fed 

 to swine, the season of feeding may be continued 

 until the crop is matured. But it is more common 

 to allow the swine to gather the seeds for themselves 

 when the crop has reached an advanced stage of 

 maturity. 



THE COWPEA. 



The cowpea (Dolichos Chinensis) has been 

 grown for many years in the south, hence it has long 

 since been carried past what may be termed the 

 experimental stage of growth. It is fast coming to 

 be regarded as an indispensable factor in any system 

 of cultivation that can be adopted in the southern 

 states and which is likely to prove eminently suc- 

 cessful. Its great value to the farmers of the south 

 arises from, i, its ability to grow on poor soils; 2, 



