GREEN FORAGE AND HAY CROPS 125 
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very satisfactory combination in regions where the cowpea does well 
and reaches maturity at about the same time as either sorghum or 
corn. Sumac sorghum and some vigorous growing variety of cow- 
pea, like Brabham or Unknown, appear to give the best crops, six 
parts of cowpeas with one part of sorghum making about the desired 
proportionate stand in the mixture. The hay is greatly relished 
by stock if cured properly.1” 
Soybean (Glycine hispida, Fig. 21) is of greater importance 
for seed production than for forage purposes, except in the South, 
where its value as a forage plant, for feeding green, as hay or as 
silage, is about as great as for production of seed. It is grown for 
the sake of the seed throughout the United States about as far 
north as corn will mature. In the Gulf States it will usually yield 
six to ten tons of green forage or silage to the acre and one and one- 
half to three tons of hay. Soybean fodder is a high-protein feed 
that can be produced under practically the same conditions as can 
Indian corn.1® The composition of the soybean plant is quite simi- 
lar to that of alfalfa, as will be seen from the following table: 
Composition of Soybean Plant, in Per Cent 
Digestible 
Water Fat Fiber Ash / Carbo- eo 
Protein | hydrates a 
and fat 1: 
Green fodder..... 80.0 9 5.4 2.1 2.7 9.7 3.6 
ay rsas winegnte s 11.8 4.3 24.2 7.0 10.6 43.6 4.1 
Straw 15.0 1.8 36.1 6.1 2.4 40.2 6.8 
Silage 74.2 2.2 9.7 2.8 2.7 11.7 4.3 
Ct eee 14.0 16.7 4.7 5.0 28.4 57.9 2.0 
Alfalfa hay........ 8.1 2.1 28.9 8.8 10.5 42.5 4.0 
Velvet bean (Mucuna utilis) is another forage crop that is 
highly recommended for southern agricultural conditions. It is 
considered especially suited to Florida, but has a similar range of 
culture as Japanese cane (p. 112). It is grown for both seed and 
forage; in the latter case the crop may be cut for hay when the 
young buds are well formed, allowed to wilt for about 48 hours, and 
cured in shocks for several days; or it may be left in the field 
throughout the winter and fed as needed. The beans contain about 
18.8 per cent protein, 6.3 per cent fat, and 53.7 per cent nitrogen- 
free extract. They are fed in the same manner as cowpeas or cotton 
seed in the South, and are relished by all farm animals except 
horses, that apparently do not care for them. Velvet bean forage 
% Farmers’ Bulletin 458. 
48Cornell Bulletin 310; Delaware Bulletin 96; Farmers’ Bulletin 58. 
