62 RANGE IMPROVEMENT IN CENTRAL TEXAS. 
centuries, its seeds being highly valued as a cattle food and as an 
article of human diet. The plant itself, however, is unsuited for green 
forage, as it is covered with a clammy exudation consisting largely of 
oxalic acid. A few of the peas were drilled in the grass garden and 
practically every one of them germinated. The plants quickly grew 
to a height of 18 to 20 inches and matured an excellent crop of seeds. 
Mercaur Bran ( Phaseolus retusus). 
The writer hesitates to express an opinion as to the merits of this 
perennial legume. It had been represented to him as being a very 
valuable native of western Texas and New Mexico, with large drought- 
resistant qualities, and he was anxious to give it every advantage in 
the matter of cultivation. A few seeds were received from the 
Division of Agrostology and a few from Mr. James K. Metcalf, of 
Silver City, N. Mex., who was the first to introduce the plant into 
cultivation several years ago. Plantings were made March 21, April 
11, and March 18, 1899. Good stands were secured, and the vines 
quickly grew to be from 8 to 12 feet long, spreading out in every 
direction from the crown of the root, much like sweet-potato vines. 
In fact the vine growth was remarkably strong, but not a blossom 
appeared. Early in August the vines began to languish under the 
hot and dry weather, and by September 1 all the roots were dead. As 
the result of correspondence with Mr. Metcalf, and at his suggestion, 
they were planted in 1900 in rows 8 feet apart in hills every 8 to 10 
feet. As in 1899, a good stand of strong vines was secured, and very 
late in the fall a few blossoms formed, but too late even to develop 
into pods. Finding that there would be no bean erop, most of the 
vines were cut; some were feed green to cattle and were eaten readily 
by them, and some were cured and baled. The bales were opened in 
February and March, 1901, and the hay fed to a horse, which ate it with 
evident enjoyment. As the result of these experiments, extending 
through the seasons, one very dry and the other (1900) a very favor- 
able one, the conclusion was reached that for hay and soiling purposes 
the Metcalf bean is good in central Texas, but the seasons are not 
long enough to insure a bean crop. 
Soy Bran (Glycine hispida). 
This is one of the oldest cultivated forage plants. It has been 
grown in China and Japan for many centuries, but was introduced 
into this country only a few years ago. The seeds are very rich in 
fats and nitrogenous compounds, and it is claimed that next to the 
peanut it is the richest of all the legumes in the digestibility of its 
food constituents. Three varieties were tested in 1899 in the station 
garden. The early variety grew from 8 to 12 inches, and the yield of 
