The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-11-28
Velvet BEAN
SEED SUPPLY
VERY SMALL
THE FARMERS OF FLORIDA CON.
troll PRACTICALLY ALL OF
THE SEED OLA CROP WHICH is
SHORT THIS YEAR.

The farmers of Florida control near
~ the whole supply of velvet bean
seed. Velvet beans are grown in
Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and
California, but only in limited areas
of some Of these states do they mature
seed. Florida farmers should there
fore give more attention to producing
velvet bean seed.
Early this season the prospects were
good for heavy crop of seed but the
ravages of the caterpillar was keeniy
felt in nearly all sections of the state.
AS a result. over a large area of the
state, the yield of velvet bean seed
has been reduced from fifty to sew
enty-f1ve per cent In some localities
the crop has been completely de-
stroyed. This means that the supply
of seed for planting in the coming
spring will be far short of the de-
mand.
Short Crop, High Prices!
The shortness of the crop Of seed,
due to the attack of caterpillars.
means high prices for seed in the
coming year. During the past five
years there has been no time when
velvet bean seed brought less than
$3.50 per bushel, and it has ranged
above $500 per bushel. The price
generally obtained for seed is sufficient
to give a good profit on the invest
ment. The demand for seed usually
far exceeds the supply. 1t is too early
to say just what the price Of velvet
bean seed will be this season. From
present indications the supply of seed
will be less than at any time during
the past five years, which means that
the price is likely to range high.
Save Seed!
Since the crop in many places has
been cut short, farmers should make
every effort possible to harvest all
available beans so as to supply the
demand for seed next spring. At the
price that seed is likely to be. farmers
cannot efford to use velvet beans for
feeding live stock. Feeding expert
ments conducted here at the expert
ment station indicate that about two
pounds of velvet beans in the pod are
equal to one pound of bright cotton
seed meal for milk production. When
velvet bean seed will bring $500 per
bushel, it's price would be $66.66 per
ton 1888 bushels to the tom. Should
it reach $500 per bushel, it would be
equivalent to 500 per ton for the seed
Aside from the value of the seed, the
hulls would be saved. The hulls are
equal to or better than cottonseed
hulls for feeding. At present prices
they should be worth from $1,000 to
$500 per ton. This should receive
careful consideration from every farm
er who may have velvet beans. 1t
would be well for him to think twice
before allowing cattle or hogs to har-
vest the crop. 1t will be more profit
able to sell the beans for seed and buy
cheaper feed, such as cottonseed
meal, for feeding live stock.
Cost Of Growing.
The cost of growing the crop will
vary from five to eight dollars per
acre. This is from twenty-five to fifty
cents per bushel of seed, including the
preparation of the land, the cost OF
seed, of planting, and of cultivation
The cost of gathering the crop will be
barrel zone barrel of beans in the
pod will shell out about one bushel OF
clean seed.)
The cost of threshing and sacking
will depend upon the machine used
whether a power machine or hand
machine: With a good power machine
and if the beans are dry, from ten to
twenty bushels an hour can be run
through the machine and cleaned up
in good shape. With a hand machine
two men will do well if they thresh
out ten to fifteen bushels a day.
One item of expense which increases
the cost of production more than any
other is the cost Of picking. So far
we have not found any machine that
will harvest the crop. Therefore the
pods are picked by hand, which is At
best slow and expensive proposition
If the crop is grown for seed only
and the vines are not required as q
fertilizer, the entire crop can be raked
I'D with a good sulky rake and run
through a threshing machine. This
method will reduce the cost of har-
vesting, but the fertilizing value of the
vines will be lost to the field.
Phone 1856 for TAXICAB,
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