The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1902-12-03
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE VELVET BEAN.
Farmers of the south are Gradually
learning It's Value and Making
Inquiries About ii.

A few years since the velvet bean
was known only as an ornamental
climber. Some progressive individu-
ais experimental with the plant and
found that the beans made good feed
for hogs and that the leaves and vines
enriched the soil on which it grew.
Since that time great interest has
been taken in this comparatively new
crop, and various experiments have
been tried for the purpose of finding
its real value. Southern papers have
published numerous articles on the
subject, and it would seem that ev-
eryone should be acqua' nted with it
by this time, but farmers are con-
tintlly asking about its cultivation,
its feeding properties, its value as
fertilizer, and it's possible use as food
for the human family. The purpose
of this article is to answer a few of
the questions most frequently asked.
If the best results are to be secured,
velvet beans should be planted as
soon as the danger OF frosts is past
and the ground is sufficiently warm
to insure quick termination. Later
planting will give seed in moderate
quantity, but not luxuriant growth
of vine. AS the plant requires con-
siderable room, a small quantity of
seed is sufficient. One or two beans
dropped eighteen or twenty inches
apart in burrows 'our feet apart
is about light. Cover lightly as the
beans have a tendency to rot in the
ground instead of sprouting if plant
ed too deep. The tops do not make
much growth after hefirst fewweeks
but after the root growth is well es-
tablished,the growth of vine is won
derfully rapid.Some advise planting
little corn IL the rows with the beans
for the vines to run on, as the yield
will be much larger than when allow
ed to run on the ground. Although
velvet beans will grow without ferti-
lizer, they will do much better with it,
that it is always best to help them in
that way if possible. Among the
nitrogen gathering plants the velvet
bean ranks first, having larger root
tubercles than any other plant yet ex-
perimented with. For this reason
fertilizer containing potash and phos-
phoric acid is best adapted to its
needs. 1t will be readily seen that
nitrogen may be made very useful in
supplying this essential food to the
roots ofother plants. AS the vines in
crease in length they form a dense
mass of foliage, shading the ground
and choking out weeds and grass.
Even the tenacious Bermuda grass
es it's hold and dies out after
few years struggle with it's vigorous
foe. The vine sheds it's lower leaves
through the season, covering the
ground with thick leafmulch which
retains the moisture of the soil and
thus assists the growth of the plant.
Even if the vines are cut for hay,
the leaves, already Aallen,and the root
serve to enrich the soil to a consider
able degree, but if the vines are left
on the ground, the pods of beans
only being removed The soil will be
greatly improved. In this way poor
sandy soil may, in few years, be
charged to rich loan. Worn out
fields arc renewed and fruit or pecan
groves raised with comparatively
small outlay by the growing of velvet
beans. as a fertilizer. The beans and
pods are sometimes ground together
and used as a fertilizer with very
satisfactory results. The beans are of
large size, nearly round and SO hard
that they are not 'roubled fy insects
as are all other kinds of beans and
peas in the south.-R. E. Merryman,
in Epitomist.