CHAPTER VI. 



THE SOYA BEAN, COTTON SEED, AND 



SESAME. 



The Soya bean comes from a leguminous plant originally 

 found in a wild state in the region from Cochin China 

 to the south of Japan and Java. It has been cultivated 

 from very ancient times as a food plant, principally in 

 China and Japan ; but although grown in these countries 

 for such an extended period, its cultivation seems to 

 have spread very slowly to the surrounding countries, 

 and has only been introduced into India during com- 

 paratively modern times. 



In the Southern part of the U.S.A., where it is now 

 extensively grown, numerous experiments are being 

 carried out to ascertain the varieties best suited to the 

 different soils and climates. It is also grown in various 

 parts of Europe, but not to any great extent. 



The plant has branching hairy stems, with more or 

 less hairy leaves, broad flowers pale lilac or violet-coloured, 

 and three to five seeded pods covered like the stem with 

 stiff hairs. The seeds vary in colour from whitish and 

 yellowish to green, brown, and black, and in shape from 

 spherical to elliptical. 



Under favourable conditions the plant may reach a 

 height of 4 feet or more. Very often more than 100 pods 

 have been obtained from one plant, but in a field crop a 

 good average would be 40. The flowers are self polli- 

 nated ; thus the yield is entirely independent of insects 



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