62 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 197. 



or one composed of equal weights of com feed meal and velvet 

 bean feed, did not prove as satisfactory as one composed of 90 

 parts com feed meal and 10 parts digester tankage ; and so large 

 an amount of the velvet bean feed is not recommended. 



7. A ration composed by weight of 20 parts velvet bean feed, 20 

 parts high-grade peanut meal, 50 parts corn meal, and 10 parts 

 alfalfa meal gave as satisfactory results as one composed of 80 

 parts corn meal and 10 parts each of digester tankage and alfalfa 

 meal; and such combinations are to be recommended. 



8. The addition of 10 per cent ground alfalfa to the grain ration 

 for growing pigs in order to supply the necessary vitamines did not 

 seem to exert any marked effect in promoting growth. 



9. As a feed for horses, velvet bean feed, if sufficiently dry to pre- 

 vent decomposition, may comprise some 20 per cent of the grain 

 ration, mixed together with 30 per cent oats, 40 per cent cracked 

 corn and 10 per cent wheat bran. 



10. It is important that the velvet bean feed should be well dried 

 before being shipped, otherwise more or less decomposition is 

 likely to set in, and the feed proves unsatisfactory for use. The 

 writer regards a satisfactory quality of velvet bean feed as a dis- 

 tinct addition to the protein concentrates at the disposal of north- 

 ern feeders. 



11. Velvet bean meal (beans minus the pods) would undoubtedly 

 prove more satisfactory for pigs and horses. 



A. What Velvet Bean Feed is. 



The velvet bean, of which there are many varieties, is a tropical legume, 

 and is grown largely in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. It needs a long 

 season for its maturity, and is grown rarely north of Savannah. It is a 

 rank grower, its vines traihng on the ground to a length of from 15 to 75 

 feet; they are diflScult to cure for hay and have been used largely for 

 grazing. It is now becoming common to pick the best of the beans and 

 use them without hulling for cattle, or hulled as a food for pigs. The 

 former is termed velvet bean feed, and the latter velvet bean meal. Ma- 

 chinery has more recently been devised for drying and grinding the un- 

 huUed beans, and it is said that the industry is increasing rapidly. About 

 a year since, more or less of the velvet bean feed was placed upon the Mas- 

 sachusetts market, but it did not seem to give the best of satisfaction, 

 partly on account of the feeders' lack of familiarity with the product, and 

 partly because of its being shipped in too moist a condition. 



Considerable has already been published relative to the velvet bean, 

 particularly concerning its habitat, growth, adaptabiUty to various soil 



