The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-04-13
Value of Leguminous Plants.


plants, clover, beans, peas, alfalfa, sofa
beans, locust, vetches, wild pea vines,
ate, and the best methods of using
them for improving the soil and feed
ing stock. Let us consider them:
First AS nitrogen providers for
plants.
Phosphoric acid, potash, and lime
are derived from the rocks and soil,
while the nitrogen is derived from the
air. Air is four-ffths free nitrogen
and one-fifth oxygen. But most plants
cannot absorb free nitrogen; it must |
first be united to oxygen, as nitrates,
or to hydrogen as ammonia. Nitro
gen is difficult to combine thus. Arti-
fetal means are unsuccessful, or too
expensive. 1t has been recently dis
covered that Natures chief means of
combining nitrogen is the bacteria, or
microbes, in the nodules on the roots
Of leguminous plants. These microbes
transfer the free nitrogen of the air
through the nodules to the roots. No
other plants have them and these have
them only when they want nitrogen.
Each variety of legume has its own
nitrogen catching microbe. The. mi
crobes occur in most fertile soils and
multiply when their own plant is pres
ent. The special microbe may be in
trodueed by distributing soil in which
this plant has grown successfully. For
example, if clover does not grow well
on a suitable soil, take the fine earth,
one to three inches from the surface of
field where it has grown we'll, dis
tribute and work into the soil. Freez-
ing, drought, and kainite kill these mi
crobes. Cultiyating one leguminous
plant upon the soil seems to run out
the microbes of the others. For exam
pie, when cow-peas have been long
cultivated in a field it may be neces-
sary to introduce the clover microbe.
"Clover-sick" probably results from
the increase of humic acids which kills
the clover microbes. Lime corrects
this.
In nature the balance of nitrogen in
the soil is kept up by wild leguminous
plants, like locusts, wild peas, vetches,
beggar-lice, etc. In farm practice,
when we grow non-leguminous plants,
we must keep up the balance of nitro
gen by using legumes in our rotation.
The best legumes for us to use are cow
peas, clover, alfalfa, sofa beans, beans,
and peas.
| Cow-peas are best sown in the spring
though If the season is favorable they
may be sown as late as July 1. Two
bushels per acre may be plowed or har-
rowed in; if the land is thin, use 200
pounds acid phosphate, and 20 to 90
pounds per acre of muriate of potash.
The vines in October contain one and
one-half to two and one-half per cent.
nitrogen; if left on the ground till Jan
uary only seventy-fve hundredths per
cent. If we leave them to rot on the
soil we lose, thus, one-half to two
thirds of the nitrogen; if we plow I'M
der we still lose great deal. Better
make them into hay for silage, If moi
fed, the best plan is to pillow under in
early fall and plant grain crop, wheat
or oats which will absorb that part
which would be lost.
End. AS feed for stock.
Nitrogen in legumes is chiefly in the
form of proteins, which make meat and
milk and are the most valuable ele.
ments Of stock feeds. All the other
hays and grains, like corn, are def
cient in proteins and need to be sup.
plemented with legume hay, or peas,
cotton seed meal, or sofa beans. Clio
yer, pea vine, and alfalfa are the best
Of all hays for feeding stock, especially
mich cows, growing stock, and work.
ing animals; because they contain Oh
an average about twice as much protein
as hay from grasses, and are worth one.
fourth to one third more for feed thar
common hay. Surprising timothy to
yield two tons of hay to the acre and
icow-peas three tons, we get the follow
ing comparisons for one acre:
FERTILIZING MATERIALS.
Nitrogen Phosphoric Potash Worth
Timothy, % at 12c 10 at SC. IS at SC. S44
Cowpeas, So at l2c. Is at Be- 90 at SC. 81
FOOD MATERIALS.
Protein Carbohydrates Fats
Timothy, l18 1900 81
Cowpoas, 500 100 s.
| We see, thus, that legumes furnish
three to four times as much protein anc
more carbohydrates and fats than com
mon hay. They contain three times as
much potash. This nitrogen is derived
from the air and removing it does no
deplete the soil. The best plan is
thus, to feed leguminous plants and re
turn to the soil the manure, which viii
still contain four fifths of all the ferti
LIKING elements. AS nitrogen of til,
air is the cheapest source of nitrogen
for plants, so it is the cheapest sourc,
of protein for animals. Soiling is
good plan for dairymen. Save tn,
manure.
Grow more legumes. They furnish
the cheapest manure for the soil ant
4 tba ohaonast food For o4ooIr booo,,c