Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-02-17

fty-trrttr ~ = ~. ~ ~ -
velvet bean:
Il has only been within the last
few years. perhaps not over 0ftaen
years. that we have ccnsidefcd the
velvet bean OF euy ec0nohdle ydlae.
Since that time We have fohndlt 70 %
one 81 the best soil ren0yatOrs. weed
sradicatcr (when upsd as 4 cover
cfopl. ana aIso az excellent fead foF
beef and pork producti0a The velvet
bean belongs % the group Of pIants
known a iegumes. "A plant Of this
group has the power to extract the
nitrogen from tte atmosphere ana
may deposit Il "a the bcii. In THIS
way II builds up a. improves the aoll
npon witch Il grows. When any feed
stun that Is rich IN ammonia e ed
70 animale. only . part Of the am
monia Is rstaiaea ia the aninsl body
(ammonia IN feed stngES u called pro
tein) hence the manure prodncod is
rich in ammonia. II niiould be son6ni.
bered that ammonia h che most cont-
y Of the fertilizer element, that We
have to buy. Therefore II We can pro-
dnce Il on the farm and az the same
time grow good crop Of feed. a
serves US 8 double puFpoee.
Numerous reports have been recefv-
cd At the station regarding the Yield
OF velvet beans. varying from slEht
to forty bushels per acre. This tan
we picked four measured acres. On
three OF these the yield averaged
1855 pounds 81 beans IN the pod. or
22.S bnahets or shelleA beans per acre.
These had been drilled III rows four
feet apart on the fourth acre. which
WAS planted with corn In alternate
rows (that u, the rows Of beans were
eight feet apart, with . row OF corn
bstween), tho Yield was 2.0sB pound1
of beans IN the pod. or 20.3 bushels
pf sheiled beans per acre.
The yield Of sa.k busheln per acre
was obtained on very light sandy land.
II Il probable that Il these had been
planted on good land the yield would
have been greater, At the present
time We have no data an TO the yield
OF hay from this crop. but II u likely
TO be from two 70 four tons'per acre.
We have collected the following
data; A common -four barrel full Of
dry beans m the pod weighs % pounds,
which win threah out 81 pounds Of
clean beans. or 70 per cent Of the
gross weight. One busheI Of good
clean beams weighs 90 poundS
Comparing the feeding value OF cot.
tonseed meal and velvet beans in the
pod. we find that good bright cotton
seed meal (7.6 per cent. AmmoniAl IL
- times ~ rich IN digestible pro.
tsin (muscle and hone-produclng ms
teriaD. and three timoa as rich In fat;
while the velvet bean IN the pod Is
three times a. rich IN digestible car.
bOhydrAtos (fatprodpcing materially.
In other words. N cottonsesd meal is
worth $50 per ton. velvet beans Ia
the pod are worth $50 per ton. There
10 an important point that we should
remember, and that IL velvet beans do
not have to Be harvested. Cattle.
hogs and horses can be turned into
the Geld to pasture, and IN this way
the expense OF havesting. which
means about IS per acre, 10 saved.
Every farmer aud stock.raiser ought
10 grow a few acres OF velvet beans
zach year. They are undoubtedly the
cheapest--lf net the best--feed for
cattle, hogs and horses. and they are
a very easy crop 10 raise. AZ the same
time that tho crop IL growing on the
land tits improving the aoIl, and for
thls reason Il IL an excellent crop
to use IN a rotation. Velvet beans
grown on foul land chat is. land bad.
" infested With noxloas weedsl win
IN a year or two free the ground from
weeda This h due to the rank
growth OF the vinea (which often AZ.
tain 30 TO 30 feet In lengthl, and co
the great mass Of leaves covering
them The leaves shade the grSundl
70 completely a. 10 ehokV out ali
weeds
TIE velvet bean 10 a rApla grower
and does well 90 all kinds OF land, sx.
cept 90 wet or boEKy ground