The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1899-07-01
FARM AND GARDEN.
1GAITRN8 or INTEREST TO
A0RICULTURlsTS.


81 -xAsrsoS --Mosfissl vitioultsxs and
11orioslturs. sss5
Tho Soy Bsan - . Farm Crop.
A bulletin Of the Indiana Experiment
Station says: "a comparatively new
and promising legunfno crop for In
diana farmers is the Soy bean. This
plant has. been successfully grown In
different parts Of the state and at
several points farther north in the
United States. It thrives in good corn
soils. and viii grow wherever corn can
lbe successfully produced.
Being . quick maturing annual, It
Will prove especially helpful to those
who cannot grow clover. A crop Of
soy beans can be produced between the
spring and autumn frosts anywhere
in the state. The soy bean may be
grown for pasture, green forage soil
dngl, for hay or silage, or for seed. It
will yield nine to IL tons OF green fod-
der. III to 27z tons OF hay, and 10 to
10 bushels of seed according to variety,
condition Of soil, etc. ~
Varieties.-n seed is desired, the
earlier varieties, only, should be grown
In northern Indiana. The Medium
early varieties will doubtless mature
in most parts Of the state, and are to
be preferred owing to their greater
yield. The later varieties might be
grown for soil renewal or soiling, but
they would hardly mature seed. r.
Culture.-The soil may be prepared
as for corn. II Impoverished by prev
hous cropping the soil should be well
supplied with lime, potash and phos-
sphoric acid. heterogeneous manures have
also proved beneficial in New England.
The seed may be sown broadcast
With the wheat drill, in rows 16 to "a
inches apart, or with the corn drill to
be cultivated as corn. The earlier va
rieties of soy bean may follow a crop
OF rye or barley or be sown in the
standing corn at the time Of the last
cultivation, If the weather is season.
able. If sown in corn put in two rows
or soy beans between each two rows OF
corn. Sow about two pecks to the acre
In rows, like corn, and cultivate, if
seed is desired. For pasture, soiling or
hay. SOW four or five pecks to the
+acre.
Food Value.-Soy bean hay COM
tpares favorably with clover hay in
chemical composition. The seed is
very rich in protein and can therefore
be fed advantageously with corn. The
seed should be ground before feeding.
The seed is readily eaten. Stock as a
rule, do not relish the stems and leaves
at first, but soon take kindly to this
forage. Soy beans and sorghum sup
Iplement each other as soiling crops
Corn and soy beans, together, are said
TO make good silage.
Harvesting.-Begin cutting at the
time Of early bloom, for soiling. Cut
for hay when in full bloom, and as
soon as the pods have formed, for
;siIage.
Cost of Seed.-Seedsmen offer soy
Y bean seed at $3.50 to IS per bushel.
This makes the cost far too great to
Justify growing soy beans as a general
crop. Farmers are advised to try soy
beans in small way as a special crop,
. and then grow their own seed if the
crop gives promise of being valuable
w. c. Latta, Agriculturist.
Figures on American Dairyius,
An article in the Chicago Record
contains the following:
The census of 1890 put the total an
nual value of the agricultural products
of the United States at S3,75S,519483-
say S3,750,000,000. Today our total
agricultural production cannot be less
than $4,000,000,000. The part of this
which is dairy produce has been esti-
mated by Mr.. Henry e. Alvord, chief
'of the dairy division of the United
States department of agriculture, to be
$500, 100000. Mr.. Alvord's figures are
as follows
Annual production. Va1ue.
'nutsef ................... SITS, 000, 900
theeSe Observation-Disclosures. 225OO 900
MINK Isl, 500, 900
Skim milk, buttermilk, -, I
whey and calves ....... $4,000 900
AOtdl $5OO, 900 600
Mr.. Alvord regards this estimate of
$500 900, 900 as very conservative one,
and no doubt Il is. It follows then