South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-07
SOY BEANS AND COWPEAS AS
SUBSTITUTES FOR CLOVER

Many farmers are again face 20
face with the problem of what 10 do
with the field where the clover failed
last year and the question is asked:
shall / try some kind OF a substitute
for the clover? II the future cOndi-
ton OF the soil is 10 be considered.
there is only one way 10 answer this
question and that is 10 say. by all
means use crop that viii come
nearest 10 taking the place of the
clover Every time clover fails and
the land is put back 10 a grain crop
it becomes more difficult 10 secure a
clover stand the next time IL IS tried.
If there were no satisfactory substi-
tutes for clover there would be no
alternative. but as il is there are at
least two crops which can be used
TO good advantage and the man who
once becomes acquainted with their
value Will not worry much whether
he gets a stand of clover or not. These
two crops are soybeans and cowpeas
and their use is perfectly practical.
/ They will not only make good hay 10
1 take the place Of clover, but they will
gather nitrogen from the air and
benefit the soil much in the same way
as clover would and, Furthermore, the
financial result will be just as salts
| factory.
For a number Of years the soils and
| crops QtDdI LilGul OF the tAptA lllltllN
station has used both sOybeans and
cowpeas in this way on the university
/ farm at Lafayette and on some of the
| outlying experiment fields with graft
| flying results. If properly managed
| both crops are sure and e is no
! longer any room 10 dOu v ether or
not they are practical. They will not
only pay as well as clover but the
| following corn crop Will be just as
/ good a a clover sod
Where Hay is Needed.
If hay is needed TO take the place
of the clover which failed to stand,
either cOwpeas or one of the fine
stemmed rank growing varieties of
| soybeans can be used with full assur-
ance that as large yield and hoy OF
/ fully as good quality can be secured.
! Last year on the Wilson farm we had
about five and One-half acres of Sable
! sOybeaps which were planted about
the first of June. The crop was in
tended for seed but the summer was
very dry and growth was slow until
after the August rains About the
end of september it looked as though
the crop would hardly ripen for seed
so il was cut and made into hay. The
/ yield was I'll tons of cured hay per
/ acre. which we sold directly from the
field for SIS per ton. The result was
$33.76 per acre at cost of about
4 = l.UU
80 acres including four other Varle-
ties. made an average of 1902 bush
els Of seed TO the acre which we are
selling at from $3.50 to SO per BUSH
ell Corn is the same field made from
40 TO 40 bushels per acre. In the
case of the seed crop, we returned the
straw to the land with a manure
spreader and plOwed it under late in
the fall. and we feel that the land has
received as much benefit as if five or
six tons Of manure to the acre had
been applied.
The soil preparation for SOY beans
or COWpeas should be much the same
as for corn. The crop may be planted
= with a corn planter, narrowing the
rows to three feet if possible, and
drilling the seeds about two inches
apart i'm the row. which will require
about half a bushel of seed to the
acre, or a wheat drill may be used
= using every fifth drill hole for plant
? ing in rows for cultivation. on clear
ground where weeds are not likely L
: be troublesome drilling solid withOu
subsequent cultivation may be prac
. ticed In this case a bushel of seeC
to the acre should be used.
Need Special incubation.
For cOwpeas special incubation Il
seldom needed in this state but wher
ever soybeans are grown for the frs
time it is almost sure 10 be required
2 The inOculating process Is very sim
r. Pile Thoroughly mix about a gallon
y of moist. screened. inoculated soil Will
e every bushel of seed as it is put int
% the drill or planter box. If seed j.
[ secured directly from farmers. a gal
lon of screened soil from the soybeal
e field should be demanded with ever.
Z bushel o. seel bought. Most farmer
, selling seed are prepared TO furnish
D | this.
Planting should be done right afte
the best time TO plant corn but bou
. of these crops Will stand much late
r. planting if necessary. except in tn
, case of late varieties intended for see,
Y production. Southern seed should b.