Edible Products. 



320 



[October, 1908. 



.soy plants. For this purpose use a 

 light harrow. When grown for seed, 

 thorough cultivation should be given, 

 at least while the plants are young. 

 As a rule, cultivation should be shallow 

 and frequent if the best results are to 

 be obtained. When the ground is in- 

 clined to pack or bake, it should be 

 stirred after each rain, but care should 

 be taken not to work the field when the 

 plants are very wet from rain or dew. 

 If the drills have not been made too far 

 apart, it will be found that the plants 

 will soon shade the soil sufficiently to 

 keep the weeds in check and to keep the 

 surface in good condition, so that much 

 cultivation will be necessary. In fact, 

 on good soil very fine crops have been 

 obtained with but a single stirring of 

 the soil after the seed had been planted. 

 As a rule, this crop will require a smaller 

 amount of cultivation than corn. 



Harvesting. 

 The time for harvesting the soy bean 

 crop will necessarily depend somewhat 

 upon the use for which the crop is in- 

 tended. From the analyses given in the 

 following table it will be noticed that 

 the plants, cut when the pods are well 

 developed, contain larger amounts of 

 I crude protein and fat than those cut at 

 early stages. But from feeding experi- 

 ments it seems likely that more of the 

 plant will be eaten if cut in the earlier 

 stages, and hence it is doubtful if very 

 much is gained by the latter cutting. 

 Considering palatability and digesti- 

 bility as well as chemical composition, it 

 is probable that the best forage will be 

 obtained by cutting just as the pods are 

 forming. 



Composition op the Soy Bean at 

 Different States op Growth. 



Water-free 



Protein 

 Fats 



Nitrogen-fre 

 Crude fibre 

 Ash 



bstance. 



Whole Plant 

 (.justin 

 bloom) 

 August 21. 



Stalk of 

 preceding. 



)le plant 

 t in pod), 





s*'o 





12-84 



3-38 1 



14-41 





2-571 



0-80 



378 



extract 



50 -t 5 



9-25 



46-83 





27-31 



81-34 



28-20 





7-23 



5-23 



6 •: 



© © £ 



•Sfc gva 



o o > ~ 



^ % 



14-43 

 3-85 

 55-70 



20-38 

 5-64 



If the crop is to be used for soiling 

 purposes, cutting can begin when the 

 plants are in early bloom and can be 

 kept up until the pods are beginning to 

 ripen, though the length of the season 

 will vary somewhat, according to the 

 different varieties, some being better for 

 this purpose than others. If the crop is 

 to be cured for hay, it may be cut when 

 the plants are in full bloom or the pods 

 beginning toform, but this will also vary 

 according to the variety grown, since 

 some of the varieties begin to drop their 



leaves much earlier than others, and it 

 is quite important that as many of the 

 leaves should be saved as possible. It 

 will be noticed from the preceding table 

 that in the stalk of the plant the per- 

 centage of protein and fat is very low, 

 and that of the crude fibre is very high ; 

 hence the most important of the food 

 elements are found in the leaves, 



When the crop is to be preserved in 

 the silo, it will be best to cut it at about 

 the same stage as when used for hay. 

 However, the plants can be cut at a 

 later stage for the silo than for hay, 

 since they are preserved in a much more 

 palatable condition than when cured as 

 hay, and the cutting necessary in pre- 

 paring for the silo leaves the plant in 

 condition to be more easily masticated 

 by the animals. 



Because of its coarse habit of growth 

 the soy bean is somewhat difficult to 

 cure satisfactorily in moist climates. A 

 good plan to follow in curing is to allow 

 the plants to lie in the swath or wind- 

 row until well wilted (but not until 

 they begin to become brittle), and then 

 gather into small piles. Care should be 

 taken to see that these piles are so con- 

 structed as to admit of thorough venti- 

 lation to the very centre, in order that 

 the plants may not mold and spoil. 

 The hay should be handled as little as 

 possible in curing and carrying to the 

 barn or shed, in order that the leaves 

 may not be broken off and lost. 



Under ordinary conditions the earlier 

 varieties will mature in 75 to 90 days 

 from the time of planting. It is possible, 

 however, and often even desirable, in 

 harvesting the crop for seed to cut be- 

 fore the pods are entirely mature. If 

 they become too ripe, they are liable to 

 burst open in drying and carrying to 

 the machine, and thus a portion of the 

 seed may be lost. Some growers recom- 

 mend cutting for seed when the pods are 

 only about half mature. This is undoubt- 

 edly a good practice if the straw is to 

 be used for feeding purposes, as in that 

 case it will contain a larger amount of 

 digestible nutrients, and will be much 

 more palatable than if allowed to stand 

 until the pods are thoroughly mature. 



In harvesting a crop for the seed, the 

 plants may be pulled by hand or cut 

 with a scythe or mower and gathered 

 intosmnll piles, which should be rela- 

 tively high and of a small diameter, so 

 that the plants may dry out readily. 

 Thrashing can be done with a flail or 

 with the thrashing machine. Very good 

 results can be had with common grain 

 thrashers by taking out a portion or all 

 of the canvas and substituting blanks 



