Milford chronicle., 1910-05-27
S0YBEANS A PROMISING
CROP FOR DELAWARE

For the past three years the Del
aware Experiment Station has been
making extensive tests with the Soy
beans a plant introduced several
years ago from Japan From the re-
suits secured by this Station togeth-
er with the favorable reports from
other experiment stations ana prac-
teal farmers in other states regard
ing the culture Of this crop, il seems
safe to predict that the soy or sofa
bean will become a valuable crop
/ wherever corn is grown and hogs
and cattle are fed.
The soybean is legume and, like
/ the cowpea. has a beneficial effort
on the soil where it grows. 1t pro-
I duces a hay almost as nutritious as
alfalfa, while the seed has a little
more feeding value than oil meal.
Thus far 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 rota-
tions, the soybean IS almost identi-
cal with the cowpea
Ofthirteeu varieties tested in 1907
nine produced 5 to A tons Of hay
I per acre. OF 2I varieties tested for
seed production, yielded from IS
to so bushels per acre. Thirty varie-
ties were tested in 1908; twenty pro-
duced S to u tons of hay, and .
yielded from 20 to 33 bushels of
seed. Forty varieties were grown in 7
1909; so produced 20 to 20 bushels
Of seed per acre. On the same land
with like treatment the best varieties
of cowpeas produced tons of hay
+ per acre and yielded IS bushels Of
seed.
Soybeans are adopted 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 the yield OF forage,
though not always ofseed A Grim
son clover sod or land which has !
had dressing ofstable manure the
previous year is an excellent pre-
paratiOn for the crop. On most soils
III lower Delaware an application Of
200 lbs. per acre Of the following
fertilizer mixture is recommended
100 lbs. acid phosphate, 40 lbs.
muriate Of potash. Soils in a good
state Of fertility or to which manure
has been occasionally applied do not !
usually require inoculation.
Prepare the land as for corn and
SOW about ten or twenty days after
the usual time for planting corn
II intended for hay, SOW with an
wheat drill as for wheat,
using about i bushels per acre.
Sown in this manner the plants
soon cover the ground and no cul- {
tivation is necessary. Cut when the
lower leaves begin to turn yellow
Cure with as little handling as pos
5ible When partially cured they q
may be thrown into small cocks
and allowed to finish curing there
If seed is the object, drill in rows :
y to 40 inches apart The wheat !
iriII answers nicely for this purpose,
IS the distance between rows can be
adjusted as desired by stopping the
proper feed cups. About Z bushel
# seed per acre will be required :
When drilled in rows Cultivate
hree or tour times as for corn, keep
ng the surface soil well stirred and D.,
evel. Cut when the leaves have
urned yellow. The threshing may =
e done with an ordinary grain sep ?
rator or if the quantity is small, !
allied out.
While a large number Of varieties -,
known and have been tested by "
ne various Experiment Stations, {
lere are but few varieties on the "a
larket. The best known Of these
re the Medium Green, Ito San and -
Iedium Yellow, Wilson and Black c
eauty. -
The Experiment Station has no
)ybeans for sale, but will gladly ge
Irnish any further information in
gard to growing the crop. "A. Z.
rantham, Agronomist, Delaware
experiment. Station.
-ay 9. 1910. =