Evening journal., 1909-04-22
ON THE RAISING
OF SOYBEANS
Professor Grantham Issues
Station Bulletin Explain
ing the Culture

A. r. Grantham, agronomist at the
Delaware Experiment Station, has is
sued the following bulletin on the soy
bean:
For the past two years the Delaware
Experiment Station has made extern
sive tests with soybeaus. While the
plant is not generally known the re-
suits obtained at the experiment farm
indicate that the soybean has a place
IN Delaware agriculture.
The soybean is a legume and, like
the cowpea, has a beneficial effect on
the soil where it grows. 1t produces
a hay almost as nutritious as alfalfa,
while the seed has a little more feed
ing value than oil meal. Titus Tar
soybeans have proved a valuable crop
TO grow for seed as the supply has
hardly equalled the demand. AS to
length Of growing season and the place
in crop rotations, the soybean is al
most Identical with the cowpea.
OF tho thirteen varieties Of soyheans
tested in 1907. nine produced from 3
TO 4 IL tons of field-cured hay per
acre. OF p varieties tested for seed
production, twelve yielded from IS to
30 bushels per acre. Thirty varieties
we're tested in 1908; twenty produced
8 to 1-2 tons Of hay. and yielded
from 20 TO 80 bushels of seed. on the
same land with like treatment the best
varieties Of cowpeas produced two tons
of hay per acre and 16 bushels Of
seed.
soybeans are adapted to a wide
range of soils and may be grown in
any part of Delaware. Land that will
grow corn will produce a good crop
Of soybeans The richer the soil the
larger theyield OF forage, though not
always OF seed. A crimson clover sod
or land which has had a dressing OF
stable manure the previous year Is All
excellent preparation for the crop. On
most soils in lower Delaware an ap-
plication Of 200 pounds per acre Of the
following fertilizer mixture is recon-
mended; 100 pounds acid phosphate,
40 pounds muriate of potash. Soils
in a good state Of fertility or TO which
manure has been occasionally applied
do not usually require incubation.
Prepare the land as for corn and SOW
about ten days after the usual time
for planting corn.
If intended for hay, SOW, with an
ordinary wheat drill as for wheat. us
IN this manner the plants soon cover
the ground and no cultivation is neces-
gary. Cut when the lower leaves be-
gin to turn yellow. Cure with as
little handling as possible. When
partially cured they may be thrown in
TO small cocks and allowed TO finish
curing there.
II seed is the object. drill in rows
80 to 40 inches apart The wheat drtll
answers nicely for this purpose, as the
distance between rows can be adjusted
as desired by stopping the proper feed
cups. About 1-2 bushel Of seed per
acre will be required when drilled in
rows. Cultivate three or four times
as for corn, keeping the surface soil
well stirred and level. Cut when the
leaves have turned yellow. The
threshing may be done with an ordin-
ary grain separator or, if the quantity
Is small. failed out.
While a large number of varities is
known and have been tested by the
various Experiment Stations, there are
but few varieties on the market. Tbs
best known of these are the Medium
Green, Ito San, and Medium Yellow.
The Experiment Station has no soy
beans for sale, but win gladly furnish