94 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



of green fodder per acre, which, while hardly equal in weight to that 

 obtained from some of the other legumes, even during a correspond- 

 ing period of growth, may, because of its greater nutritive value and 

 palatability, more than balance the outcome. (Hawaii Bui. 23.) 



Summary. (1) For intensive farming the soy bean is the best 

 annual legume to grow for forage in the southern part of the cotton 

 belt and in the southern part of the corn belt. 



(2) The soy bean, whether used as hay, grain, straw, or ensilage, 

 is very valuable as feed for live stock. 



(3) Soy-bean hay is practically identical in feeding value with 

 alfalfa and yields from 2 to 3 tons per acre. To make good soy- 

 bean hay the crop must be cut when about half the pods are full 

 grown or when the top leaves first begin to turn yellow. 



(4) Soy-bean grain is more valuable than cotton-seed meal as a 

 supplemental feed in the production of pork, mutton, wool, beef, 

 milk, and butter. A bushel of soy beans is at least twice as valuable 

 for feed as a bushel of corn. As the grain is hard it is usually desir- 

 able to grind it into meal for feeding. This is best done by mixing 

 with corn before the grinding to prevent gumming up the mill. 



(5) Harvesting ordinarily should be done when the leaves first 

 begin to turn yellow, as the quality of the straw rapidly deteriorates 

 thereafter and the yield of seed will be practically as large as at any 

 later time. From 20 to 30 bushels of grain and 1M> to 2 tons of 

 straw per acre are not uncommon. 



(6) If soy beans are grown for the seed alone, and sometimes 

 this is desirable, the harvesting can be done most easily by waiting 

 until the leaves have fallen. 



(7) Soy-bean straw, if the crop is cut before the leaves fall, is 

 fully as valuable for feeding as timothy hay for cattle, and is eaten 

 by stock with much relish. Even when the harvesting is delayed 

 until all the leaves have fallen, stock will eat the straw readily. 



(8) Mixed with corn, soy beans are excellent for ensilage. The 

 two crops may be grown together, but it is usually better practice 

 to plant in separate fields and mix when putting into the silo. 



(9) It is necessary to give the soil thorough preparation in order 

 to be successful with soy beans. Only fresh seed or seed which has 

 been tested for germination should be planted. Two-year-old seed 

 is usually^not reliable. The seed should be planted shallow, not to 

 exceed 2 inches in depth, and preferably in rows 30 or, better, 36 

 inches apart to permit sufficient cultivation to keep down weeds. 



(10) For harvesting soy beans a mower with or without a side- 

 delivery attachment, a self-rake reaper, or a self-binder can be used. 

 A binder can be used only with the tall varieties. The thrashing 

 can be done with a grain separator by using blank concaves and 

 running the cylinder much slower than for small grains or by the 

 use of machines specially designed for handling soy beans and 

 cowpeas. 



(11) Soy beans and cowpeas can 'be grown together satisfacto- 

 rily; the hay of such a mixture is better than either crop alone and 

 the yield is generally greater. In planting the two together the seed 



