Am.  Jour.  Pbarm.") 
November,  1897.  J 
Soy  Bean. 
587 
tion,  though  it  is  still  a  matter  of  doubt  as  to  what  botanical  name 
properly  belongs  to  the  cultivated  species. 
The  soy  bean  is  an  erect,  annual  plant,  with  branching  hairy 
stems,  trifoliate,  more  or  less  hairy  leaves,  rather  unconspicuous  pale 
lilac  or  violet-colored  flowers,  and  broad,  two  to  five-seeded  pods 
covered,  like  the  stem,  with  stiff,  reddish  hairs.  The  seeds  vary  in 
color  from  whitish  and  yellowish  to  green,  brown  and  black,  and 
in  shape  from  spherical  to  elliptical  and  more  or  less  compressed. 
Under  favorable  conditions  the  plant  may  reach  a  height  of  four  feet 
or  more. 
In  Professor  Haberlandt's  experiments  in  Austria- Hungary  the 
plants  yield  about  200  pods  and  450  seeds  each,  and  though  this  is 
probably  considerably  above  the  average,  it  shows  them  to  be 
remarkably  prolific. 
The  fact  that  the  flowers  are  self-pollinated  makes  the  yield 
entirely  independent  of  insects,  and  renders  the  soy  bean  free  from 
an  important  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  introduction  of  many 
legumes  into  new  regions. 
Varieties. — The  different  varieties  of  soy  bean  are  distinguished 
largely  according  to  the  color,  size  and  shape  of  the  seed  and  the 
time  required  for  the  plants  to  reach  maturity.  The  names  applied 
in  the  United  States  are,  for  example,  "  Early  White,"  "  Medium 
Late  Green,"  "  Medium  Black,"  etc.  The  early  varieties  generally 
fruit  heavier  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  plant  than  the  later 
ones,  and  hence  are  better  to  grow  for  seed,  while  the  medium  or 
late  varieties  are  better  for  forage,  on  account  of  the  larger  yield  of 
fodder  that  may  be  obtained. 
Conditions  of  Growth. — It  is  believed  in  Japan  that  in  northern 
climates  soils  of  a  rather  strong  character  are  best  adapted  to  the 
soy  bean.  It  is  usually  sown  about  the  end  of  May,  and  when  used 
for  hay  cut  early  in  August.  In  both  Europe  and  America  it  has 
been  found  to  thrive  best  on  soils  of  medium  texture,  that  are  well 
supplied  with  potash,  phosphoric  acid  and  lime.  Fairly  good  results 
have  been  obtained  in  Kansas  on  very  poor  soils,  and  under  very 
adverse  conditions  as  to  moisture.  In  South  Carolina  the  soy  bean 
gives  excellent  crops  on  sandy  limestone  or  marshy  soils,  and  also 
on  drained  swamps  or  peaty  lands  that  are  well  marled.  The  tem- 
perature should  be  about  the  same  as  that  required  for  corn.  The 
methods  of  culture  are  such  as  are  usually  recommended  for  ordi- 
nary field  beans. 
