CROPS AND SOIL IMPROVEMENT 



The curing is more difficult than in the case of the 

 cowpea because the leaves drop early, and the 

 plants must be harvested before they approach 

 maturity. 



Probably the large yield of rich seed is the most 

 important feature of the soybean crop. A ton 

 of the seed contains as much protein as a ton 

 of old-process oil meal, and three fourths as 

 much as a ton of cottonseed meal. A good crop 

 of the soybean will yield 18 to 20 bushels of 

 seed, and as the nitrogen may be obtained chiefly 

 from the air, the protein from this crop will come 

 to be a leading substitute for purchased protein 

 feeds. 



Varieties. There are many varieties of the 

 soybean, and their characteristics are modified 

 by climatic conditions. Each region will find the 

 varieties best suited to its purposes by tests. 

 When hay is wanted, the variety should have fine 

 stems and a leafy habit of growth. It may not be 

 a good producer of seed, or able to hold the seed 

 unshattered. The harvesting should be done 

 when some lower leaves turn brown and before 

 the pods are half filled. This stage of maturity 

 should be reached early enough in the fall to insure 

 some hot days for making the hay, and to permit 



[HO] 



