The Harrison times., 1912-05-25
Soy Bean.

Soy Bean.
The soy bean is a native Of south
ern Asia. 1t has been grown fol
centuries in China, Japan, Korea
and India. In these countries the
SOY bean is considered one Of their
most important grain crops. 1t is
grown largely for human food, be,
ing used as a nitrogenous food to
take the place Of high-priced meat,
which is beyond the means of the
mass Of the people Of those coun.
tries.
The soy bean has been grown in
the Southern States for a number OF
years, but its value is not fully ap-
preciated by the farmers Of the COW
belt. 1t will fill a very import
ant place il we practice a ratio in
which we have a definite place for
a legume crop, The intelligent
farmers have been trying to find a
substitute for clover, as they realize
the value Of legume in maintaining
the supply Of nitrogen in the soil,
The soy bean is the logical substi-
tute for clover,
Soy beans can be grown in all
parts Of Arkansas, Cand other parts
of the country as to that matter)
that will grow the ordinary grains
The soy bean will mature anywhere
a crop of corn, The same soil that
will grow crop Of corn will grow
crop Of SOY bean The corn crop
is often limited by the supply of
nitrogen in the soil, while the beans
if inoculated, will utilize the free
nitrogen Of the air which is made
available to them by the nitrogen
gathering bacteria which live in the
nodules on their roots, These bac.
terra have the power to take up free
nitrogen from the air and cause it
TO unite with other elements Co form
compounds suitable for plant food,
The bean plant then draws upon the
combined nitrogen in these nodules
or root tubercles and makes use Of
it in its own growth in the top and
in the root Of the plant, The soy
bean will grow fairly well in n wet
soil, and will make n better growth
than most other grains in an ex'
tremely dry season, This crop then
should occupy n very important
place in any system Of agriculture,
either Il live stock or Il grain system
offarming,
The seed bed for soy bean should
be as carefully prepared as for corn,
The ground should be disked as
often rs necessary 60 prevent the
loss of moisture by evaporation, and
to destroy young weeds, The bean
will grow and mature crop with
out incubation but it will be en-.
tirely at the expense Of the soil and
one purpose Of the lcgumc is soil inn
proyemcnt,
Without incubation the crop is
limited to the soil nitrogen, The eX'
pense Of incubation is very small.
Soy bean hay when cut at the prop.
or time and well cured is tine feed,
almost equals alfalfa, The later va.
rieties are best 70 grow for hay as
the stems are longer and more slen'
der, also produces more foliage
than the earlier sorts, Soy beans
make excellent pasture for hogs, cs.
peciully for soil improvement this
is the best way TO handle the crop,
The crop is profitable for It's food
value and the manure is returned
directly and without loss to the
land,
In an experiment conducted by the
Alabama experiment station IN
1908, il was found that when hogs
were fed on corn alone, a gain OF
100 pounds Of pork cost S163 but
when fed on q saroton Of corn and
SOY bean pasture a gain of zoe
pounds Of pork cost only S2,7A
Ira ROmNs,
10 he Continued