Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1898-07-22
question of SOFA Beans Answered.


To the Farmers Review:-A former
article published in the Review of Feb.
3 resulted in such a shower of letters
of inquiry on every imaginable sub
ject in regard to Sofa beans, in self-de-
Tense I am tempted to ask help of the
Review In answering such of the many
questions asked, as will be Of general
interest to your readers.
The question oftenest asked is:
"How will the SOFAS compare in yield
with other crops in feeding capacity
per acre?" On this question, because
of my limited experience and lack of
records of weights and other data,
do not feel justified in giving opinions.
as facts, therefore quote from those
better posted and of the highest author
ity on the subject, viz: Government
Bulletins Nos. is and %. From the
analysis there given, as foundation
and my experience in growing them
as a field crop, am fully satisfied that
with the same soil, season and care
given any other field crops-either hay
or grain-they will yield in available
feed from an equal amount to four or
five times the quantity in bulk, while
by the authority quoted above, we find
that the plant, either green or dry,
when compared with other hay or for
age crops or the seed compared with
other grains, gives feeding value per
acre far in excess of any other crop
that can be grown in the northern and
central states, even corn not excepted.
To illustrate. The two most necessary
and valuable ingredients of all feed
is, first, protein, the heterogeneous or
flesh and bone-forming elements; sec
ond, fat. which in turn makes fat and
furnishes heat and energy to the ami
NAL. In these elements the Sofa bean
and red clover are about equal in the
green plants Cow peas and green
corn have only about half as much of
either element as the SOFAS. When
dried for hay or fodder the SOFAS have
three times the protein and over twice
the fat of the best timothy hay, one
fourth more protein and fat than clo-
yer, and four times as much, both OF
protein and fat, as corn grown specially
for fodder, ears and stalks included.
The seeds of the SOFAS have more than
three times the protein and fat of the
best grain of corn, one half more pro-
tein and over twelve times more fat
than COW peas, also three times as
much of both as oats. With these es-
Inmates Of comparative value and an
equal yield in tons per acre, it Is easy
to compute their value for feed, but
when the yield in tons runs from three
to five tons in favor of the SOFAS, as it
frequently does over some of the crops
mentioned in dry season, then the re-
suits are wonderful and almost past
belief.
An additional fact to be remembered
is. that while all the other crops men
toned, except clover, draw richness
from the soil and impoverish it, the
SOFAS draw principally from the air
and dew, and add more richness to the
soil than they take away.
AS soon as their merits are known
to stock breeders and dairymen and
rightly appreciated, they will take
leading place among our regular farm
crops.
AS to the safety in feeding them to
stock. In pasturing the green beans.
with cattle, care should be taken as
with clover, in turning them in to
gorge themselves while the dew Is on,
or till they are used to the feed. If
one has the time to spare 1t is better
to cut and feed as needed, the waste
saved will pay for the work. Care
should be taken in feeding horses on
the threshed beans, or the meal, or on
the fodder with the beans unthreshed
If they are well matured, as they are
so rich and oily they often prove too
| nf a nd fad xryiI1
physic them severely. If the beans are
threshed and fed, they should be mixed
with other less oily grain to get the
best results. They are better fed I'M
threshed with the fodder to COWS and
sheep. Hogs eat little but the seeds
| when fed standing. or hoed down, but
eat the dry leaves of the fodder in the
winter.
The amount of seed to sow per acre
must be determined by the use you
intend to make of the crop, and how
you SOW or plant it. If strictly a seed
crop is wanted. one peck per acre is
enough in rows, drilled in with two
horse corn planter or one horse seed
drill as planter. If seed and feed are
both wanted, plant one-third to one
half bushel per acre as above. Guilt
vate once or twice as needed, they will
pay for the extra labor, though they
will come nearer giving something for
nothing" in the way of neglect in soil
and care, than any other known crop.
If pasture for dry weather or a hay
crop is the object, drill in with a grain
drill one-half to three-fourths of
bushel, or SOW broadcast three-fourths
to one bushel. Some drills will not
SOW peas or beans without grinding up
the seed or 1t will pack in the feeder
If the weather is very dry when
harvested they can be cut with
binder and bound in small bundles.
Three bundles will cure well together
Many inquire for publications giving
information about growing the Sofas
for feeding and fertilizing. The gov
eminent bulletins No. 16, "Legumin-
GUS Plants for Green Manuring and
Feeding" and No %, 1.-THE Feeding of
Farm Animals" are among the best,
and will be sent free on application to
the secretary of agriculture at WASH
ington, d. G.