124 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



follow spring grain that has been matured, providing 

 there is yet moisture enough in the soil to bring about 

 successful germination in the seed. The ground 

 does not as a rule of necessity require to be plowed 

 when preparing it for the grain crop that is next to 

 be sown, since the bean crop generally leaves it in 

 a loose condition. 



Preparing the Soil. — Since the soy bean is fre- 

 quently grown as a catch crop, the seed bed for it 

 must in such instances be prepared with dispatch. 

 This calls for a free use of the harrow and roller 

 after the land has been plowed. But it may not be 

 necessary in all instances to plow the land when pre- 

 paring it for soy beans. The surface should be made 

 smooth and fine for the reception of the seed. When 

 the soy bean crop is the only plant to be sown on the 

 ground for the season, a fine opportunity is furnished 

 for freeing the land in a single season from the pres- 

 ence of many kinds of noxious weeds. This may 

 be done in part by plowing the land for the soy bean 

 crop in the autumn or in the early spring and then 

 running the harrow over the same as often as the 

 weeds begin to grow tmtil the beans are planted. 

 The subsequent cultivation given to the crop will tend 

 to complete the cleaning process so well begun 

 before the planting of the same. It is not usual to 

 apply any fertilizer when growing this crop, but as 

 previously intimated, it may be necessary in some 

 instances to apply potash, phosphoric acid, or lime, if 

 not indeed all three of these ingredients. 



Sowing. — When designed for soiling uses, the 

 soy bean should be planted in rows and usually with 

 the corn planter, the bean planter or the grain drill. 



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