FORAGE PLANTS OF THE FAMILY LEGUMINOS^E 203 



Cultivation. Soy-beans will withstand considerable frost, and they 

 all succeed on nearly all types of soil, but the best crops are obtained in 

 mellow, sandy loam, or clay loam. They make a satisfactory growth ' 

 n poor soils. The preparation of the soil for the soy-bean is similar to 

 (hat for corn. The land should be plowed early and deep, and then har- 

 owed at intervals until the beans are planted. Under nearly all condi- 

 ions, the soy-bean should be planted in rows and cultivated sufficiently 

 o keep down the weeds. The yield of seed is always greater, when the soy 

 )lant is grown in rows. 



If the conditions are favorable, the soy-bean germinates in a few days 

 ind cultivation should begin, as soon, as the young plantlet appears. One 

 [eep cultivation should be given, and after that the cultivations should be 

 hallow. The soy-bean may be used advantageously in many systems of 

 :rop rotations. North of the Ohio River, a rotation of corn, soy-beans, 

 vheat and clover is practised. A soy-bean crop is often grown in North 

 Carolina and Tennessee between two wheat crops, or between two oat 

 rops. It can also be used as a catch crop. Soy-beans are more generally 

 ;rown with corn than with any other crop. The beans may be planted in 

 he same hills with corn in alternate hills with corn in the same row, 

 n alternate rows of each, or there may be two rows of each. When grown 

 with corn, the crop is generally pastured, or made into ensilage; It is 

 l profitable crop when grown for seed, the average yield being about fifteen 

 oushels in the northern states to twenty-five bushels in the southern part 

 of the cotton belt. 



As the protein content of soy-bean seeds is thirty to forty-six per cent, 

 their feeding value is high and can be fed whole to sheep and hogs, or 

 used ground for stock feeding and milk production. The total per cent. 

 E>f digestible nutrients of soy-bean seed is 85.9, of this there is 30.7 per 

 lent, of protein 22.8 per cent, of carbohydrates and 14.4 per cent, of 

 fat. 



Harvesting. The soy plant, when cut at the right stage of growth, 

 makes an excellent hay of high feeding value and this can be used as a 

 tome-grown crop to replace the high-priced concentrated feeds which 

 the farmer finds it 'necessary to purchase. The plant may be cut for hay 

 my time from the setting of the seed until the leaves begin to turn 

 Bellow. The plants after being cut should remain in the swath until 

 jhey begin to wither and should then be raked into windrows before the 

 teaves become dry and brittle and left for a day, or two, when they should 



