120 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1904. 



YIELD OE DRY MATTER AND PROTEIN. 

 SOY BEAN VS. CORN FODDER. 



The average yield for 7 seasons at the Maine Station of fod- 

 der from corn of Sanford or similar variety that will not mature 

 in this climate was a little over 17 tons per acre. For the same 

 period the average yield of green fodder from matured corn was 

 a little over 11 tons per acre. The same season that the Massa- 

 chusetts Station obtained a yield of 16 tons of Longfellow corn 

 they harvested 10 tons of soy bean fodder from one acre. If 

 we assume an average yield of soy bean fodder at 8 tons and 

 corn fodder at 12 tons per acre, and use in calculation the aver- 

 age of the 13 analyses of each material given in the table, the 

 soy bean would yield 3,560 pounds of dry matter and the corn 

 5,064 pounds. The soy bean would contain 576 pounds of 

 protein and the corn 552 pounds. 



It would therefore appear that a crop of corn will give prac- 

 tically as many pounds of protein as a crop of soy bean, and 

 over 40 per cent more dry matter. Furthermore, the nutrients 

 of the corn are more digestible than those of soy beans. The 

 corn is probably a surer crop, but on the other hand it requires a 

 fertilizer carrying more nitrogen (costing from $10 to $15 per 

 acre) to grow the corn and it is necessary to handle 50 per cent 

 more material to obtain the same weight of protein. 



SUMMARY. 



Soy beans can be grown in parts of Maine where corn thrives. 



Where early corn matures, the early white soy bean will 

 usually mature. 



Where Sanford corn ears, the early medium soy bean will 

 form pods. 



Soy bean can be grown with less nitrogen than corn. 



In order to grow the soy bean most economically, the soil 

 should be inoculated with the organism that forms root 

 tubercles. 



The soil should be prepared as for corn or beans and should 

 be free from lumps and clods. 



Fertilizers carrying phosphoric acid and potash are essential 

 and on good land no nitrogen is needed if the soil is inoculated 

 for root tubercles. 



