The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-03-05

straw from the bean plot weighed just
five times as much as from the other
plot. Another plot was planted in
corn following the beans and gave re-
suits equally startling. y crop of the
beans can be made and turned under
for 81 an acre, and III these expert
nents is an object lesson every farmer
in the south will do we'll to study. for
there is big money in it. Ny own ex-
perience extending over a period OF
six years has been so satisfactory that
[ have constantly increased my acre
age and this year am planting 400
acres. The enormous growth Of vines
and yield o1 beans is truly an eye
opener. have known them to make
nine tons Of hay per acre and IS
bushels OF shelled beans on land that
woald nrt make 20 bushels of corn.
The bean is very rich in protein and
equal to cotton seed meal in feeding
value.
The vines contain large amounts Of
carbohydrates and supply the rough
age, making complete feed that is
the most economical grown. Last
fall the Florida experiment station
took grade steer and feed on velvet
beans and pods in the green stage for
80 days and gain of PA pounds was
made in weight in that time. We
generally turn the steers in the
bears When they first begin to mature
and ar acre fattcns three TO five head,
increasing their selling value an aver
age of s. pei head. 'l.:. stubble is
plowed under tic following spring
and planted in cv"n and the crop is
generally 81 pac cent better. The
viues NIX the finest feed for milk
COWS ever say and are equally good
fof Sheep, horses anl vUIer stock, but
the beans are not suitable for human
food.
TO make them, prepare the land in
the same manner as for corn. Plant
when danger of frost is over in rows
four feet apart, Is to "a inches in the
drill, two to hill. Cultivate once or
twice according to growth an lay by.
They grow at tremendous rate and
soon cover the ground with a mass Of
vines waist deep. The old leaves drop
off and new ones keep coming on and
have seen the ground six inches deep
in leaves and none could be missed
from the vines. The vines keep green
until killed by the frost, but they rot
very quickly and can be turned under
in a short time. The beans grow in
clusters similar to cow peas, ripening
rapidly, and can be picked twice sfast
as cow peas. They grow in a thick hull
and will hang on the vines three
months after ripening before rotting,
a big advantage over cow peas, and
can be grazed on all winter by stock.
The vines make very nutritious hay
and can be moved two or three times. :
They withstand the severeSt drought
or wetteSt weather, thrive anywhere
and rarely ever make failure. am
perfectly satisfied they are going to
prove one Of the most valuable crops
introduced in recent years and more
farmers will plant this year than ever
before.
I may be called a velvet bean
crank" but it has proven so profit
able in building up poor worn out
farm, and is so cheaply grown, when
think Of the thousands of farmers
who are barely making living on
their poor land, consider it my duty
to call their attention to what the
bean will do and help them get start
ed. l have at my own expense sent
out a large lot of small packages, but
a dozen or so of seed are not enough
to make fair test or to get start,
however, and as the seed are worth 81
per bushel here l cannot afford to fur
nish the seed and pay the postage too.
Now, to help the work along, will
send to leading farmers large bag Of
the seed with full direction for plant
ing and maturing the seed in the cold
er climate Of the northern states,
provided they will forward 25 cents
for postage. Or for ST l will forward
enough seed for an acre, as long as
they last, if the grower will agree to
distribute a portion Of his first crop
among his neighbors and get them
started.
l am not in the seed business,
have none to sell; and make this offer
because l feel that l am helping my
brother farmers to get start of a
crop that has doubled the value Of my