SOYBEANS FOR MASSACHUSETTS 



By A. B. Beaumont, Professor of Agronomy, and R. E. Stitt' 



The soybean is a nati\e of southeastern Asia, where for centuries it has occupied 

 a place of outstanding economic importance. The plant was introduced into 

 the United States early in the last century, but did not attract a great deal of 

 attention in this country until about 1890. From that date on the various state 

 agricultural experiment stations have tested many varieties, and have experiment- 

 ed with methods of culture. The Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion was activeh' identified with the earh' work with this crop through the efforts 

 of Dr. William P. Brooks, who introduced several \arieties from Japan, including 

 the well-known Medium Green. 



Within the last two decades the acreage of soybeans has increased rapidly in 

 the United States, particularly in the Middle West and the South. The crop 

 has not greatK' gained in popularity in the New England states. Owing to climatic 

 restrictions and comparatively small areas of tillable land adapted to e.xtensive 

 use of farm machinery, it is not to be expected that New England may successfully 

 compete with more favorably situated agricultural regions in the production of 

 soybean seed. The greatest promise of the soybean in New England lies in its 

 possibilities as a forage crop. It can hardly compete with the grasses, clovers, and 

 alfalfa as a principal source of forage, but as a more or less temporary or emergency 

 leguminous forage crop it has distinct achantages. 



VARIETY TESTS AT MASSACHUSETTS EXPERIMENT STATION 



\\ ithin the years 1929 to 1932, inclusive, tests of varieties of soybeans were 

 conducted at Amherst by the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station 

 in cooperation with the Division of Forage Crops and Diseases of the Bureau of 

 Plant Industry, U. S. D. A., and the Eastern States Farmers' Exchange. The 

 Division of Forage Crops and Diseases selected the \'arieties to be tested, supplied 

 the seed, and outlined the general plan of procedure. 



The tests for the period 1929-1931, inclusive, were conducted under a uniform 

 technic, the plots consisting of 4 rows 20 feet long and 2.5 feet apart, and being 

 replicated 10 times in the field. In 1932 the plots were changed to 6 rows, 

 20 feet long and 3 feet apart, and were replicated 5 times. In each case the 

 border row-s and a portion of each end of the row were discarded at harvest time 

 to eliminate or reduce border effects. During the earlier period 20 varieties 

 were tested with only one change in the list. In 1932 there was a radical change 

 in the list of tested varieties, those which had previously yielded less than 2.5 

 tons of cured hay being dropped, and several new introductions added. For 

 these reasons the results of the 3-year test (1929-1931) and the 1932 test are 

 presented separately in this report. 



'Formerly .-\ssistant Research Professor of .'\gronomy. Credit is given to Wm. L. Jones and 

 Jay L. Haddock, holders of the Eastern States Fellowship in Forage Crops, for valuable assistance 

 in the conduct of the tests; and to Dr. E. A. Hollowell and Dr. W. J. Morse of the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry, U. S. D. A., and C. W. Clemmer of the Eastern States Farmers' E.xchange for advice in 

 the conduct of the work and writing of the manuscript. .A.ppreciation is expressed also for the 

 financial support given this proiect by the Bureau of Plant Industry and the Eastern States Farmers' 

 Exchange. 



