Choosing a Forage Crop 



187 



conducted at the Alabama Station l suggest that a profit- 

 able method of utilizing this crop is to allow the pigs to do 

 the harvesting. In this experiment the beans were planted 

 in with corn, and the pigs turned in after the corn had 

 been shucked. Because of continual drought throughout 

 the season, the yield of cowpeas was very disappointing. 

 The pigs averaged 62 pounds when the test began October 

 4, which lasted 72 days, or until December 15. 



TABLE LVIII. VELVET BEAN VERSUS COWPEA FORAGE 



Because of the protein nature of both the cowpea and 

 velvet bean forages, it is doubtful whether a protein 

 supplement is necessary, especially when only a half 

 ration of corn is fed. The velvet bean, nevertheless, 

 made an excellent showing in this experiment, especially 

 when the area grazed is credited with the corn as well 

 as the pork produced. When the mature velvet bean 



1 Bull. 168. 



2 Corn at 70 cents a bushel ; tankage at $40.00 a ton ; forage 

 at $8.00 an acre. 



