VELVET BEAN 



249 



sections it is seldom, indeed, that the crop will not 

 be found worth more than the seed and the cost 

 of sowing it. 



The sheep or other live stock that are to be pas- 

 tured on the turnips may be allowed freedom of 

 access to other grass pasture; 

 the outcome will be still fur- 

 ther satisfactory for the dan- 

 ger of an unduly lax condition 

 of the bowels is less likely to 

 occur. The pasturing should 

 be completed before the 

 weather becomes really cold, 

 for turnips freeze much more 

 easily than rutabagas, and 

 when hard frozen they should 

 not be eaten by the stock. 



VELVET BEAN.— A twin- 

 ing plant important as a cover 

 crop and for its value as a 

 green manure. It gets its 

 name from the velvety condi- 

 tion of the pods and looks 

 much like pole lima beans. It 

 requires a long growing season, 

 considerable moisture and 

 much warm weather. For 

 these reasons it is best adapted 

 to the Southern states, and there it reaches its maxi- 

 mum growth. It is not very particular about the 

 soil allotted it, but does its best on fairly well- 

 drained soils that are fairly fertile, but it is all right 

 for bringing up old lands. Being a legume in most 

 cases it can supply its own nitrogen, but in poor 

 soils potassium and phosphorus should be supplied. 



VELVET BEAN 



This legume grows 

 from 10 to 50 feet in 

 length. Its flowers are 

 in clusters at the 

 joints of the stem. The 

 beans are borne in 

 short cylindrical parts 

 containing three to six 

 large rounded brown 

 and muddled seed. The 

 buds are covered with 

 a velvety down which 

 gives the name to the 

 plant. 



