The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-23
THE SOY BEAN.

THE SOY BEAN.
IF I were called upon to name
just one plant as the most valuable
to man and his domestic animals for
summer crop in the Southern
States" declares Colonel ]. c. Strib-
ling. of Pendleton. II would name
the legume, known at present as the
soy beam
Col. striblipg says that in 1855 his
father planted a package of this
bean, said to come from Asia, under
the name Of "Papan," or "Chinese
velvet pea" Since that time, Mr..
Stribling states that he has known
this bean to be mentioned under at
least seven different names, always as
something new, but the supposedly
new bean proved to be nothing more
than the famous SOY bean of today.
This statement of Colonel Strib-
ling brings to mind the recent report
Of representative Of the British gov
ernment In Machuria. in which 1t
was claimed that this same soy bean,
which IL now being largely produced
on Mahchurian soil, bids fair to rival
American cotton seed In the variety
Of Its products. The Britisher in
making,a a detailed report to his goy-
ernment declared that a most en-
cellent oil was being secured from
the seed, Manchurian chemists claim
ing 1t to be the equal of any vege-
table oil produced. Meal AMI -four
of good edible quality for man snl
besst are also reported by the En-
glishman as products from the COY
or soya bean. the latter mama being
tn, most familiar designation in the
Ms.Echurian country.
II the published reports of this
Britisher's Investigations are true,
and we all know Colonel Stribling' s
opinions to be based on his own ex-
perience. then the soy bean has more
wonderful possibilities than even the
Pendelton farmer supposes. The ex-
pertinent Is at least worth trial in
this section. and We hope some enter
prising farmer will try soy bean
crop this coming season and that
some of our oil mills will experiment
I'm extracting the oil from the product
The leaf and shape Of the soy bean
In all Its varieties resemble the cot
ton stalk. and the bean pods are
shaped like the garden pea, and are
covered with a soft velvet growth
The best variety grows from four to
five feet in height. The bean will be
found very productive on most all
of the soils In this State.
In an open letter concerning the
Soy bean. Colonel Stribling says:
1t supplies the most com
plete ration OF hay and grain fol-
work stock. When ground, the beans
are a better feed than cotton seed
meal, and soaked in water for tins
one or two days, owing to the
weather ~the beans more than double
i'm bulk, and at such a stage make the
best food for stock and poultry, and
rival the Navy bean for table use.
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 be planted any time from early
spring until late in July.
For enriching the soil and at the
same time harvesting profitable
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 thar
any other plant that know Of.
The upright growth, or cottor
stalk shape of the plants, make Il
| possible To drill and cultivate entirely
| by horse power, and harvested by
machinery when sown broadcast OF
| I'm drills.
| With proper preparation of the