120 TRUCK FARMING 



be sown on well prepared soil at the rate of fifteen to twenty 

 pounds per acre. 



Different varieties of millet and Kaffir corn are also easily 

 grown and if carefully cured make very good feed indeed. It 

 is best in this humid climate, however, to feed all hay within 

 a few months after it has been stacked away, as there is much 

 more danger of hay becoming musty here than in the more 

 northern and temperate countries. 



I find for soiling, the velvet bean is probably one which will 

 add the greatest amount of nutritive matter to the soil. It is 

 more free from diseases and more rank in growth than any of 

 the other plants before named. Before plowing the velvet beans 

 under, should it be desirable to use the land shortly thereafter, 

 it is best to cross cut the entire field with a sharp disc harrow, 

 leaving them to cure for a few days in this stage, and then plow 

 the entire mass under with a turn plow. However, should it 

 not be desirable to farm the land for some four or six weeks 

 thereafter, they can if first planked down thoroughly to the 

 ground, be plowed under directly without the process of discing, 

 using a heavy coulter on the plow for this purpose. 



It is claimed in the northern countries that leguminous plants 

 will add from $4.00 to $10.00 in ammoniates to each acre of soil, 

 but I am under the impression, as our fertilizers are valued much 

 higher in this territory, that we receive twice this amount, with 

 even better results from the velvet bean. 



Another fact that must not be lost sight of in this connection 

 is that these leguminous crops benefit the soil directly by shad- 

 ing it during the protracted summer months, thus having a ten- 

 dency to add to the soil a value which cannot be computed by a 

 chemist's analysis. 



Para grass will produce great quantities of forage here also 

 and makes excellent hay. 



A number of our northern weed seeds seem to have acclimated 

 themselves to this country and may be used with great profit 

 for soiling purposes also. Among the latter are the Spanish 

 Needle, Rag Weed, and various other weeds. 



