1920.] The Value of Lupins on Poor Light Land. 9S7 



another large grower, considers that it does not matter very much 

 w hether the crop is ploughed in green, folded or harvested. Mr. A. M. 

 Rope, of Leiston, favours folding, but he has never ploughed in lupins 

 green. Mr. H. P. Skeet, of Blaxhall, strongly favours ploughing in 

 green, as compared with other methods, the lupins being drawn under 

 the soil by means of a chain. Mr. Skeet is a great believer in ploughing 

 in green leguminous crops as a means of improving poor, light land. 

 He finds that comparatively little benefit to the succeeding crops 

 results from the manure made by sheep on light land when the weather 

 ^ s hot, especially during July and August. 



During the summer of 191 9 the writer inspected two fields near 

 Marti esham Heath, owned by Mr. E G. Pret3mian, M.P. On the first 

 field, near the Heath, the lupins were ploughed in, whilst on the second 

 they were harvested. The rye on the latter field was not nearly so 

 good as that on the former field. 



The question as to which proceeding is best to adopt — plough- 

 ing in green, folding, or harvesting — is one which requires further 

 investigation. When a ready market exists for the seed, 

 harvesting is almost certain to give the best financial results. 

 In many cases, however, the land may require cleaning, or it 

 may be occupied by another crop, so that it is impossible to 

 sow the lupins early enough for the seed to ripen. In such 

 cases folding or ploughing in green ma}- be relied upon to im- 

 prove the land considerably. 



Compoeitfon of Lupins. Very few British analyses are 

 available. Those given by Kellner indicate that in composi- 

 tion green lupins resemble green vetches, but have a somewhat 

 larger proportion of woody fibre. The grain of blue lupins 

 contains a somewhat larger proportion of albuminoids (29 per 

 cent.) than do beans, which only contain 25 per cent, of albumi- 

 noids. The fat content is higher than in beans, being 6 per 

 cent, as against 1-5 per cent, in the latter. The starch equiva- 

 lent is also shghtl}^ higher in the case of lupins than in beans. 



Use for Feeding- Purposes. — One of the difficulties in the 

 past, in connection with the growing of lupins for seed, has 

 been the disposal of the seed produced. The demand for the 

 seed is Umited, and hitherto no very satisfactory method of 

 utihsing it as cattle food has been found. Mr. John Goddard 

 feeds it to sheep — J bush, of lupin seed daily per 100 

 sheep — i.e., about J lb. each. This, in his experience, is the 

 extreme quantity which can be fed safely. More than this causes 

 paraly sis. The grain is bitter, and is refused by other stock. 



Mr. Goddard does not use lupins for pregnant ewes, nor does 

 he consider them suitable for feeding to these animals. 



Mr. Rope, of Leiston, has fed lupin seed to sheep, but would 

 not venture to feed more than { lb. per head daily. 



