Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-02-16
THE SOY BEAN is THE ri ii ri THING.
Col. j. O. StribIing Explains why 1t
Should Be Planted.

Soi' y. ~. Ot4luHuS, OF PenQlStOn,
has sent The Courier the following
article, with the request that 1t be
published In our columns:
II l were called upon to name Just
one plant as the most valuable to
man and his domestic animals for a
summer crop in the Southern States,
the legume, known at present as the
soy bean, Is beyond doubt, that plant,
for the following reasons:
l. 1t will grow profitable crop
upon any and all soils where corn or
cotton will grow.
2. 1t supplies the most complete
ration Of hay and grain for work
stock. When ground the beans are
a better feed than cotton seed meal,
and soaked In water for time-one
or two days, owing to the weather.
the beans more than double in bulk
and at such stage make the best
grain food for stock end poultry, and
rival the navy bean for table use.
3. The planting season ranges from
April to the last of July. The large
varieties may be planted up to the
last Of June, and the dwarf varieties
may De planted any time from carly
spring until late in July.
4. For enriching the soil, and at
the same time harvesting a profita-
Bile crop, there Is no equal Of the soy
bean. My observation Is that the lit
tie nitrogen balls on the roots of the
soy bean are more abundant than any
other plant that know Of.
s. The upright growth, or cotton
stalk shape Of the plants, make 1t
possible to drill and cultivate entire
ly by horsepower, and may be har-
vested by machinery when sown
broadcast or in drills.
6. With proper preparation of the
soil | have never known the soy bean
to fail producing a fair crop, wet or
dry. l believe It will stand a drought
better than alfalfa, or ary other
farm crop.
Cultivation and Harvesting.
Soy beans should be planted
much deeper under ground than the
COW pea. The soy bean has very
hard grain. which requires more
moisture and longer period to GER
inmate than the common COW pea, but
Will Withstand drought and rough
usage In cultivation better than COW
peas.
The larger varieties should be
planted about the width Of cotton
rows, only thicker in the drill, and
the dwarf varieties in rows eighteen
to twenty-four inches in the rows,
late planting thicker.
Last season we planted some dwarf
seed In April that grew three feet tall,
and some OF the same seed, planted
the last Of July, On good ground,
grew only eight to twelve inches tall,
yielding welp hi Of grain equal to
that OF all the stalk and leaves.
For feeding green, or for hay,
cut when pods are about grown. For
seed cut when first pods begin to pop
oron and stack around poles like old
time fodder stacks, or tall stalks NAV
be shocked and tied with binder
twine like corn shocks. If hogs can
not be turned on the land to gather
the fallen grain, the crop must be
mown at once, when first pods begin
to pop open.
Observation and Experience.
In 1855 my father planted a pack
age OF this bean, said TO have come
from some part Of Asia, under the
name of Japan" or Chinese velvet
pea Since that time have known
this bean doomed up under at least
seven different names as something
new. but finally proved to be nothing
more than some Of the several varie-
ties Of the 'soya," or soy" bean of
to-day. which may be had from the
large seed houses at about the cur
rent prices for cow peas.
The leaf and shape Of all the diff
ferent varieties resemble the cotton
stalk and the bean pods, shaped
like the garden pea, are covered with
soft velvet growth
The bean grains are round, and In
size range about like the garden pea.
Color Of grain, rich to light cream.
Some varieties are shades Of purple
or pinkish. The large yellow variety
grow in good ground from four to
five or more feet tall, while the early
or dwarf varieties grow about half
the size Of the larger varieties.
.