92 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



corn or kafir and one-fifth soy bean. Larger gains, varying from 13 

 to 37 per cent, were made in every case on the mixed rations than on 

 corn or kafir alone. With corn meal alone 100 pounds of gain cost 

 $3.92, with corn meal and soy-bean meal $3.73, and with kafir meal 

 and soy-bean meal $3.37. For these computations the value of corn 

 meal was fixed at $14 a ton, kafir meal at $13 a ton, and soy beans 

 at $25 a ton, or 75 cents a bushel. 



Storing Soy-Bean Seed. The storage of soy-bean seed requires 

 special care. The grain should be thoroughly dry when put into 

 storage or else placed where good ventilation is afforded; otherwise 

 it is almost certain to heat and be ruined as far as germination is 

 concerned. No matter what may be the condition of the seed at the 

 time it is stored, it should be examined occasionally to detect any 

 tendency to heat. Even when soy-bean seed has been stored care- 

 fully the germination is apt to fall off rapidly. In fact, it is as a 

 rule unwise to plant seed more than one season old without first test- 

 ing it for germination. Unlike cowpea seed that of soy beans is 

 rarely attacked by weevils. 



Results of Tests of Varieties of Soy Beans. The number of tests 

 of varieties of soy beans conducted throughout the state in 1907 was 

 65. Of these 63 consisted of the regular sets of four varieties each. 

 Most of the unsatisfactory reports resulted from carelessness and 

 losses of parts of the crop at harvest time due largely to unfamiliarity 

 with it. 



The Dwarf Early Yellow, Ito San and Early Brown varieties 

 are very similar in their general characteristics, and may be classed 

 as medium in size and time of maturity. The average time of ripen- 

 ing is from the 10th to the 15th of September, or about 115 days 

 from time of planting. 



The Medium Early Yellow is a late maturing variety and prob- 

 ably suitable only to the South. At the station it ripens about October 

 20, or in about 150 days from time of planting. It usually requires a 

 severe frost to ripen it. The freezing, however, seems to do little 

 harm to the quality of the seed. This variety has relatively large 

 plants, with long, slender stems and branches, and an abundant of 

 foliage, making it the most suitable variety for feeding green or 

 making into hay. (Ind. B. 124, Vol. XIV.) 



THE SOY BEAN IN HAWAII. 



While possessing most of the good qualities common to other 

 leguminous forage plants, the great diversity of type to be found in 

 the soy bean adapts it to many uses and conditions unsuited to other 

 legumes. Its chief characteristics are its heavy seeding and early 

 maturity. Nearly all varieties are of compact and upright growth, 

 with strong tap roots, and stiff stems which rarely show any tendency 

 to trail, although some of the ranker growing varieties sometimes 

 lodge. In nutritive value the forage compares favorably with any 

 legume that can be grown, and the ground or crushed bean is said 

 to be equal to the best and most costly concentrates that can be pur- 

 chased for feeding purposes. Among its most important uses is that 

 for culinary purposes, especially in the manufacture of the Japanese 



