550 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



adjacent mainland. In Jamaica, whence it first became 

 well known, it is called the horse bean or the overlook bean. 

 In this country it has been designated the Pearson bean, 

 and recently the Wonder bean. Owing to confusion with 

 the similar species cultivated in Japan, China and India, it 

 has also been called the sword bean and the knife bean, 

 but those names properly belong to the Asiatic species 

 (Canavalia gladiata), used principally as a vegetable. 



In the last 25 years, the jackbean has several times 

 attracted attention on account of its vigorous growth 

 and large yield of pods and seeds. It was extensively 

 tested at the Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station 

 during the years 1890 to 1895. Under field conditions 

 yields of 30 to 40 bushels of beans to the acre were obtained, 

 even when grown on thin soil. Attempts were made to 

 utilize these beans as feed for both beef and dairy cattle, 

 but the beans were found to be both unpalatable and 

 indigestible. 



Seeds of the bean were distributed by P. Pearson, of 

 Starkville, Mississippi, from which fact it became known 

 as the Pearson bean. At the Texas Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station it produced 35 bushels to the acre. At the 

 North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station it pro- 

 duced an estimated yield of 40 bushels to the acre. It was 

 also tested at the Louisiana Experiment Station. None of 

 these stations regarded the bean as promising, but, so far 

 as recorded, no attempt was made to utilize either the 

 herbage or the seeds as forage. More recently the plant 

 has been tested in Hawaii, and favorable reports as to its 

 forage value have been published. 



The value of the plant as forage is yet problematical. 

 Its successful utilization as green feed in Hawaii encour- 

 ages the belief that it may be found equally valuable in 



