SOYBEANS 



535 



The seeds do not retain their viability well, and it is not 

 advisable to sow seed two years old without previously 

 testing. Unless care is exercised in properly curing and 

 storing, soybean seeds are apt to heat and thus quickly 

 have their viability destroyed. A small percentage of the 

 seed will under favorable conditions retain it's viability 

 four or five years, and this has been found to vary accord- 

 ing to variety, as shown in the table : 



VIABILITY OF SOYBEAN SEEDS 



Weevils rarely injure soybean seeds, but under excep- 

 tional circumstances have been known to destroy them. 

 This relative immunity to weevil injury is important, 

 especially in the South. 



652. Pests. Soybeans are troubled by few serious 

 enemies. On the whole, rabbits are most troublesome, 

 as they are extravagantly fond of the herbage, and where 

 they are abundant soybean culture is practically impos- 



