The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-11-20
The Farm and Grove.
Copyrighted BY Rural Press syndicate
II. E. STOCKBRIDGE, Fh. D., Editor.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

USING THE VELVET BEAN CROP.
This year many Thousand of acres OF
this crop have been grown in the Gull
States, and the acreage Is constantly o.
the increase, as land owners become ac-
quainted with its uses and possibilities.
Many grower are now in possession OF
their first crop; Others have been expert
menting, and are not yet using it to best
advantage. To all of these q few sug-
gestions should prove useful.
Every grower of the bean has become
aware of its great value as soil reno
vator. Many have grown it so ely for
the purpose of soil improvement. Most
OF these have been content to allow the
vines to die in the field, and then to pillow
them under. Many have picked beans
for seed and made no other direct u.s.
of the crop. These practices all fail to
give the grower full returns. A few facts
as to the character OF the crop will make
this plain.
The plant is legume. This means
that, like the cOw-pea and clovers, 1t OBJ
talns its nitrogen from the air, 1t is
therefore able TO enrich the soil to the
extent of the nitrogen taken from the
air and added to the soil. With other
crops, this material must be applied dt.
rectly to the soil, in the form of manure
or commercial fertilizer.
The root of the plant is the organ
through which the nitrogen is extracted
\ from the air. The nodules, easily seer
| on the roots of these plants, are the seat
of this action; being the home of the
minute organisms which perform Tho
work of nitrogen gathering.
Because of this action Of the roots
many people suppose they contain chic"
part of the nitrogen thus obtained anC
that the crop itself may, therefore, bt
removed without seriously lessenil & tn,
quantity of nitrogen carried to the 5oii
This Is a serious error, The root actual.
Iy contains only about Is per cent OF
the total nitrogen of the plant. Romoy-
ing the crop, and leaving the stubbIeaua
roots, really diminishes the possible val
ne of the crop as soil rcnoyaior by
about SIS Per cent.
1t is important to know how much nit
: rogen fafr crop Of velvet beans may be
expected to take from the air. An ave-
rage crop, on our poorer soils, viii con-
tain approximately lj0 lbs Of actual nit
rogen, all taken from the air without
cost to the cultivator This is about
eoui alent to the nitrogen content OF onf
ton of cotton-se, d mea, on one-haif ton
of nitrate of soda. This material has an
: actual cash value when purchased and
: delivered on the farm, OF about $40 W.
/ This amount may be accepted as approx
, imatey the cash fer,illzing value of the
average acre of velvet bean crop.
We are now in o5ition TO intel igently
consider the question of usiEg the croI
so that best and fullest results may be
secured Ii the crop is sold as hay,
about S. per cent OF its real value is
wasted. If the beans are harvested,
nrobablv one-fourth of the total value q
Inc crop is lost. If the entire crop is
left on the soil, and plowed under, the
rn.l cash valve of the nitrogen of the
crop is applied to the soil, for the bene-
.Gt of future crops. This would, at first
sight seem to befull return. This crop,
however, offers an instance of the posi-
bilty of eating ones cake, and still hay
ing it. 49,,
The fattening of animals, takes from
the food led chiefly the material from
which fat is made-carbo-hy drates. The
protein, or heterogeneous material mostly
passes through the system and is left il
the manure. This is, to less degree
true of mich cows and other stock. Il
must, therefore be clear that by using
the velvet bean crop BY feeding it on the
ground where it grew practically its en-
tire fertilizing value remains on the land
with full value. Ia ADDITION to this, thu
feeder makes the profit OF the increase
in weight and value of the animal fed, o.