18 BULLETIlSr 439^ U. S. DEPAETMEISTT OF AGRICULTURE. 



POSSIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY WITH 

 AMERICAN-GROWN SOY BEANS. 



The large annual importations of soy beans, oil, and cake into the 

 United States during the last few years indicate a ready market for 

 products obtained from American-grown beans. The demand for the 

 oil, especially in the manufacture of soap, and its possibilities in the 

 manufacture of paints are very large, and it should be a strong com- 

 petitor of other vegetable oils, for which the demand is constantly 

 increasing both in this country and in Europe. When the meal 

 becomes properly recognized as a feed material for the production of 

 beef and butter, there will be practically an unlimited market for 

 it as feed. ■ In the dairy countries of Europe, oil meals form a most 

 important part in the stock rations. Denmark feeds more than a 

 tenth of a ton of cottonseed cake (besides other kinds of oil cake) per 

 head of cattle per year. If the cattle in the United States were to 

 be fed at the same rate, the total oil cake or meals of aU kinds pro- 

 duced in this country would be insufficient to supply the demand. 

 The numerous experiments being conducted in the preparation of 

 soy-bean products for human food will doubtless result in a much 

 larger use of the meal for this purpose. 



It is not expected that the soy-bean industry wiU develop in the 

 near future to the extent attained in Manchuria. This industry 

 should, however, develop gradually and the soy bean become an 

 important crop in the regions most favorably situated for seed pro-, 

 duction, especially the cotton belt. Since the boll weevil first entered 

 Texas in 1892, it has been an increasingly important factor in the 

 annual production of cottonseed. At the present time the weevil is 

 found more or less extensively in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Okla- 

 homa, and Alabama and is annually extending its range from 40 to 

 70 miles. From available statistics it has been estimated that the 

 weevil causes a reduction of at least 50 per cent of the cotton crop in 

 regions invaded by it. As the range of the weevil is gradually extend- 

 ing eastward, where conditions are mor'fe favorable for greater damage 

 to the cotton crop, it is readily seen that the quantity of cottonseed 

 available for oil and meal production will be affected to a greater or 

 lesser extent. In Table XI the effect of the boll weevil on the pro- 

 duction of cottonseed is plainly shown. The soy bean offers an 

 excellent opportunity to the planter to adjust his plantation man- 

 agement so that he can offset the weevil damage and with profit to 

 himself furnish the cotton-oil mill owners a source of oil and meal. 



