(j A (jrHntUurid Kx perhiient Station UcHearcli BaUetln IJf 
the* fall of 1017 and thou at the University of Xebraska. A re- 
vised i-e])ort of them is ^iven in this paper. Additional studies of 
the soy bean blight, the results of A\diich are also reported here, 
were j)lanned to deterniine the effect of various factors on the 
amount and severity of the disease. 
I'he writer wishes to express herein his sincere thanks to 
Doctors F. A. Wolf and E. M. Wilcox for their assistance and 
criticism during the time these studies were being conducted in 
connection with their departments. 
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF THE SOY BEAN 
ddie soy bean is a native of tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia 
(2h, ]). 3()0-301 ; 20, p. 70) and was introduced into Europe by 
Kani])fer about 1090 (21, p. 9). At the present time it is the 
most important legume grown in Japan, China, and ^fanchiiria. 
Idle soy bean is the chief source of jirotein in human food in 
Jaj)an, where very little meat, except fish, is eaten as comjiared 
with the amount of meat consumed in this country. Its culture 
in England was begun in 1790. The plant was introduced into 
the United States from Jajian in 1800. Since that time its culti- 
vation as a soil-imi)roving and a forage crop has been confined 
for the most ])art to the Southern States. Xorth Carolina is 
probably foremost among these States in the production of soy 
beans, dhe yield in 1909 was only FhMbl bushels (29. |). (wVJ). 
and in 1915 Avas estimated' as ajiproximately 1,000,000 bushels. 
Within the last three, or four years, and esjiecially since the Avar 
began, this crop has become increasingly important because of 
(he large variety of products manufactured from the oil and meal 
and l)(‘cause of its introduction in the Ignited States as a human 
food. 
dh(‘ following is a list of the most im})orlant products 
obtaiiu‘d from soy Ix'ans or in Avhich soy beans enter: Soy bean 
milk, vi‘g(‘table cheese, meal or Hour, macaroni prej)aration, soups, 
pork and b(‘ans, meat substitutes, toilet poAvder, fertilizer, and 
cattle feed from the meal, and high explosiA'es, soaps, linoleum, 
rubber substitutes, margarine, Japanese sauce, paints, A'arnishes, j 
Avater-pi-oof cloth, .sdad oil, lubricants, and lard substitutes from ] 
the oil. * 
The grain is moiH‘ valuable as a suj)i)h*im‘ntarv feed than 
co(tons(‘(‘d m(*al for tin* production of pork, mutton, beef, avooI, 
milk, and bu(t(‘r. 'riu‘ seed contains lU ])cr cent protein and 
17 |)cr cent fat. A bushel contains more than three times the 
amount of dig(*stibh‘ j)rott*in. fat, and ash that is contained in a 
‘Ksliin.'itc furnished hy the Xorth C'.irolin.i Kxpcrinicnt St.ition. 
