October, 1908. J 



325 



Edible Products. 



the soy bean is not so easily injured bY 

 frost as the common field or garde n 

 varieties of beans, and hence it can b e 



Elanted earlier in the spring and can also 

 e left in the field later in the autumn. 

 At the Kansas Station, soy beans 

 planted on the 25th of July on poor soil 

 survived several light freezes and, when 

 cut on the 17th of October, had matured 

 a fair crop of seeds. 



While the soy bean is possessed of 

 excellent drought-resisting qualities, it 

 at the same time seems to be able to sur- 

 vive a period of excess of moisture better 

 than the cowpea or even corn. Mr. 

 Robert C. Morris, of Illinois, reports, as 

 an instance in his own experience in 1896, 

 that, after standing in water for three 

 weeks in July, the soy beans recovered, 

 while corn and cowpeas under the same 

 conditions were permanently injured. 

 The upright, bushy habit of growth 

 gives the soy bean a great advantage 

 over the cowpea during wet weather 

 and makes it easier to handle at harvest 

 time. 



Methods of Culture. 

 In a general way, the same methods 

 of culture may be recommended for the 

 soy bean as would be given to the 

 ordinary field beans. The soil should be 

 well prepared, so as to afford a good 

 root bed, and should be left smooth and 

 free from clods in order to facilitate the 

 cultivation and harvesting of the crop. 

 If the soil is lacking in potash and phos- 

 phoric acid, these should be supplied to 

 secure the best results, From experi- 

 ments carried on at the Massachusetts 

 Hatch Experiment Station, it is probable 

 that for this crop the potash can be best 

 supplied in the form of the muriate. 

 Under ordinary conditions it is not 

 likely that there will be any necessity 

 for using any nitrogen-containing ferti- 

 lizer, as sufficient of this element is 

 usually present in the soil, and, like 

 other legumes, this plant assimilates the 

 free nitrogen of the air. In experiments 

 with this crop where nitrogen has been 

 supplied to the soil in various forms, it 

 has been found that there was but very 

 little gain in the yield, and in but very 

 few instances was this sufficient to pay 

 for the extra fertilizer used. 



Although soy beans may be planted 

 quite early in the season, the best results 

 will be obtained if the seeding is post- 

 poned until the ground has become 

 thoroughly warm ; and in case the earlier 

 varieties are used, a fairly good crop of 

 forage or even of seed may be obtained 

 if the seeds are not planted until the 

 earlier small grains, such as rye and 

 barley, have been harvested. It may 



thus be possible to obtain two crops 

 from the same field in a single season ; 

 one of small grain, and the other of soy 

 bean, and yet to leave the land in better 

 condition than if the second crop had 

 not been grown. Another practice is to 

 drill the beans in between the rows of 

 corn after the last ploughing ; they are 

 also sometimes planted between the 

 hills in the row, as are field beans. The 

 best method of seeding will depend some- 

 what upon the kind of crop which it is 

 desired to harvest. If the soil is good, 

 and a crop of hay or green fodder is 

 desired, good results may be obtained by 

 sowing broadcast or with a grain drill. 

 If, however, a crop of beans is desired, ic 

 is best to plant in drills from 2 to 3 feet 

 apart, according as the soil is light or 

 heavy. 



There is considerable difference in the 

 amount of seed sown per acre in the 

 various parts of the country ; some 

 farmers sow only about half a bushel per 

 acre, while others prefer a bushel or even 

 more. The proper amount will neces- 

 sarily vary somewhat, according to the 

 method of seeding and the character of 

 the soil. As a rule, when grown for seed, 

 from one-half to three-fourths of a 

 bushel per acre will be ample. When 

 put in with a grain drill or sown broad- 

 cast, a greater amount of seed will be 

 required ; but in any case it will hardly 

 be necessary to use more than one bushel 

 per acre. Of course, less seed will be 

 required when the grain drill is used 

 than when the seed is sown broadcast, 

 and as a rule better results will be 

 obtained. When planted for beans 

 enough seed should be used to give an 

 average of five or six plants per foot in 

 the row. If nothing better is at hand 

 for planting the seed, an ordinary grain 

 drill, with enough of the holes stopped 

 up to give the desired distance for the 

 rows, may be used. For example, if the 

 holes are 8 inches apart, number 1 may 

 be left open, numbers 2, 3, and 4 closed, 

 number 5 open, etc., and the rows will 

 be 32 inches apart, or, if a less distance 

 is desired, number 4 may be left open 

 and number 5 closed, and the rows will 

 be 24 inches apart. In very light soil the 

 latter distance would probably be best, 

 but in heavier soils the former would be 

 preferable. 



When the seed has been drilled in 

 rows close together, or has been sowu 

 broadcast, very little cultivation will be 

 necessary. It will sometimes be found 

 advisable, however, to cultivate the 

 drilled field soon after planting, as in 

 case the land is very foul, the weeds are 

 liable to get such a start that they will 

 interfere with the growth of the young 



