Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-15

ply a substitute from the following as
sortment of forage crops. He can Sc
lect only one or two of these crops for
his needs. but where it is possible it
is best to grow patches of all Of them,
as it will give variety. and the ration
can be more easily balanced.
Cowpeas.
The cOwpea is the most generally
grown and most valuable hay and for
age plant in the south. 1t can be
grown anywhere and covers a longer
season of growth than any other 1t
furnishes large quantities of nutritious
feed stuff. and, besides. builds up the
soil rapidly by furnishing nitrogen and
humus.
The soil should be well prepared, as
for any other farm crop. Poor prepar-
alton is the cause of most of the appar-
ent failures with this crop.
For very early use the WhippOorwill
or the new Era variety can be sown
early in April in rows 80 inches apart
with a corn planter. One-half bushel OF
seed per acre. Cultivate well. and
where land is not fertile use 200 pounds
of acid phosphate and 80 pounds #
cotton seed meal per acre to give Wig
orous growth. Planted in this way
cowpeas will give a heavy crop of grain
and vines for hay in early summer.
For later crops, and where a very
heavy yield is desired, the clay, un-
known. or some other well known va
riety may be used
Hay made from pea vines planted in
this way supplies ordinary work stock
with complete rations at a season when
most needed.
Cowpeas and sorghum.
Where preferred and when it is not
specially desirable to have very early
hay, sorghum and cowpeas may be
sown together broadcast. one-h half
bushel of sorghum to one and one half
bushels of cowpeas per acre. Amber
sorghum and some early variety Of
cOwpeas will mature quickly. but for
heavy yields orange sorghum and a
used
The land should be we'll broken and
thoroughly prepared before sowing the
seed. This point must be observed in
all cases.
Soy Beans.
In some localities the soy bean has
proved a most desirable hay and forage
plant. The beans are very rich in pro-
tein and the stalk is equal to pea hay
or alfalfa when properly cured. While
not adapted to all classes of soils, as
is the cowpea, soy beans should be Civ
en- a trial on every farm.
Sow in rows three feet apart. one
half bushel of good seed per acre, cul-
tivate well, and cut wnen the plants
first begin to ripen or turn yellow.
When intended for seed purposes the
crop should be allowed to ripcn a little
longer than for hay.
The soy bean has been found valua-
bic for hogs. where they are allowed to
gather the crop from the field
Velvet Beans.
In the gulf states, and on poor soils
especially, the velvet bean will be found
q profitable crop. 1t makes a very lux
uriant growth, requires little cultiva-
ton, and when planted early will ma
ture large quantities of seed, sufficient
to be pastured off by COWS and hogs
The vine is too rank and coarse for hay
but adds more fertility to the soil than
any of the legumes on account Of it's
growth and its root system.
The seed is cheaper than soy beans
or cowpeas, as one bushel will be suffi-
cient to plant four or five acres. For
building up very poor soils 1t ranks
first among legumes both as to cost and
efficiency.
Peanuts.
The value of peanuts as q hay and
food crop has never been appreciated.
The peanut will grow on the larger
portion of the uplands of the south. As
a crop for varied uses nothing eXcels
it. 1t can be made profitable When
nuts are grown for market, and it has
been found to produce more and cheap
er pork than any other crop. When
used as hay for horses or cattle the
vines and nuts are pulled up and cured
together. In this shape they are rel
ished by all kinds of stock, and as they
are highly nutritious they can be util
iZed in place of more expensive grains
to large extent.
Peanuts should not be planted until
warm spring weather. Plant on we'll
and twelve inches apart in drill for
the Spanish variety and a greater dis
tance for larger varieties. The Spanish
is preferred for feeding purposes.
mentioned, is a soil improver, and ev-
cry farmer should look with more favor
on its place among the farm crops.
All Corn and Hay Should be Grown on
the Farm.
With this splendid record of corn
produced per acre in the southern
states, and with our advantages in eli
mate and so many valuable forage
crops to supplement grains for feeding
to stock, 1t Is discredit for any farmer
to buy corn or hay except in rare cases
of misfortune. S. a. Knapp,
Special Agent in Charge
The Florida Everglades.