Choosing a Forage Crop 



185 



1912 was badly injured by an early frost. The small 

 returns in these two years are, therefore, the result of 

 inferior yields. In only two of the five years were the 

 pork returns satisfactory. 



Table LVI. — Results from Pasturing Cowpeas 



PEANtTTS; VELVET BEAN; CHUFAS 



The peanut gives excellent results when the under- 

 ground seeds or nuts are foraged by pigs. It is a legume 

 adapted to the South, rich in nitrogenous matter, and of 

 unusual value in improving the soil for subsequent crops. 

 The nuts themselves are very rich in oil as well as pro- 

 tein. When the pigs are allowed to eat the nuts without 

 additional feed, the pork produced is soft and of inferior 

 quality. When fed corn, rice by-products, or other 

 carbonaceous feeds, however, the effect is not particu- 

 larly noticeable. Also, if pigs which have been fed exclu- 

 sively on peanuts are subsequently given a month or more 

 of corn feeding, sufficient firmness of the carcass would 

 seem to be assured. When grown for the purpose of 

 improving the soil and to furnish a reliable yield of pro- 



