The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-06
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON 8. WHITE


 lent drought resisting qualities. 1t at the same time It seems to be able to survive q period of excess of moisture better than the cowpea or even corn. Robert C. Morris. of Illinois, reports as an in- stance of his own experience in 1886 that after standing In water for three weeks in July. the soy beans recovered, while corn and cowpeas under the same condi- tions were permanently injured The up- right bushy habit of growth gives the soy bean great advantage over the cowpea during wet weather and makes 1t easier to handle at harvest time.
 Methods of Culture.
 In general way. the same method of culture may be recommended for the soy bean as would be given to the ordinary field bean. The soil should be well pre- pared, so as 10 afford good root bed, and should be left smooth and free from clods in order to facilitate the cultivation and harvesting of the crop. If the soil is lacking in potash and phosphoric acid, these should be supplied to secure the best results. From experiments cared on at the Massachusetts Hatch Experi- ment Station 1t is probable that for this crop the potash can best be supplied in the form of the muriate. Under ordinary circumstances 1t Is not likely that there will be any necessity for using any nit rogen. containing fertilizer, as sufficient of this element Is usually present in the soil. and, like other legumes, this plant asslmilates the free nitrogen of the air. In experiments with this crop where nit rogen has been supplied to the soil in various forms 1t has been found that there was but little gain in the yield, and in but very few instances was this suffi- cient to pay for the extra fertilizer used
 Although soy beans may be planted quite early in the season, the best re- suits will be obtained If the seeding is postponed until the ground has become thoroughly warmed: and in case the earlier varieties are used, a fairly good crop of forage or even of seed may be obtained If the seeds are not planted un- til the earlier small grains, such as rye and barley, have been harvested. It may thus be possible to obtain two crops from the same field in the same season: one of the small grain, and the other of soy bean. and yet to leave the land In better condition than if the second crop had not been grown. Another practice is to drill the beans in between the rows of corn after the last blowing they are also sometimes planted between the hills in the row. are field beans. The best method of seeding will depend somewhat upon the kind of crop which it is desired to harvest. If the soil is good, and the crop of hay or green fodder Is wanted,
 
 broadcast or with grain drill If, how ever, a crop of beans is desired. 1t is best to plant In drills from two to three feet apart according as the soil Is light or heavy.
 In Sowing Seed.
 There is considerable difference in the amount of seed sown per acre in the va rious parts of the country. Some farmers SOW only about half bushel per acre, 4Hrlai oil h1ra tsrafa. H,,rt t,oI The proper amount will necessarily vary somewhat, according to the method of seeding and character of the soil As a rule, when grown for seed, from one-half to three-fourths of a bushel per acre will be ample. When put in with a grain drill or sown broadcast, a greater amount of seed will be required. But in any case 1t will hardly be necessary to use more than one bushel per acre. Of course less seed will be required when the grain drill is used than when the seed Is sown broad cast, and as a rule better results will be obtained. When planted for beans enough seed should be used to give an average of five or six plants per foot in the row If nothing better Is at hand for planting the seed, an ordinary grain drill with enough of the holes stopped up to give the de- sired distance for the rows may be used. For example, if the holes are eight inches
  bers two, three and four closed, number five open, etc., and the rows will be thirty two inches apart: or if less distance is desired, number four may be left open and number five closed. and the rows will be twenty-four inches apart. In very light soil the latter distance would probably be best, but in heavier soils the former would be preferable.
 When the seed has been drilled in rows close together or has been sown broad cast, very little cultivation will be nec- essary. It will sometimes be found ad- visable, however, to cultivate the drilled field soon after planting. as in case the land Is very foul, the weeds are liable to get such a start that they will inter- fere with the growth of young soy plants. For this purpose use light har- row. When grown for seed thorough cul- tivation should be given, at least while the plants are young. As rule cultiva- ton should be shallow and frequent if the best results are to be obtained. When the ground Is inclined to pack or bake. 1t should be stirred after each rain. but care should be taken not to work the field when the plants are very wet from rain or dew. If the drills have not been made too far apart 1t will be found that the plants will soon shade the soil sufficiently to keep the weeds in check and to keep the surface in good condition. so that much cultivation will be unnec- essary. In fact, on good soil very fine crops have been obtained with but single stirring of the soil after the seed had been planted. As rule, this crop will require smaller amount of cultiva- ton than corn. The above written by Thomas A. Will Hams, was taken from bulletin No 5S of the United States Department of Agri- culture.
 Farmers, Attention! call the attention of our readers to this valuable plant. the soy bean. for 1t is one of our best plants for forage and 1t can be used to great economy as 1t can be grown on many of the thin soils of the south and southwest, where other crops would prove a failure It will even sur pass the COW or stock pea in this respect and 1t is claimed by many to be even better soil renovator. As stated before, the better the soil the greater will be the yield. Yet good paying crops may be grown on many of the old worn and turned out fields of the south and south west
 While many strong claims are made for it as forage plant, yet its greatest value is in the seed, which if ground and mixed with other meals, made from rye. oats, barley and corn. all mixed and ground together makes one of the best balanced feeds for all stock. Where this plant Is wanted for hay the seed should be sown thick and the plant cut while in bloom. There is one feature about the crop that must be looked after The pods when Iipe should be kept gathered the