The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-09-07
HARVESTING SOY BEANS FOX
GRAIN
U : Department Of Agriculture issues
Bulletin ON Relatively New Agrl-
cultural Industry.

T = Department OF Agriculture ISSUES
Rulletin ON Relatively New Agrl-
cultural Industry.
For the information of farmers who
are beginning to grow soy DEALS Lo1
grain rather than for hay and VINO
are unfamiliar with the handing VI
the plants under the former conul
tons, the United States Department VI
Agriculture will shortly puDllsn Tue
Farmers Bulletin, "HarVestlnS ooy
Beans for Seed" The demand lot
these seeds for use in the productlon
of oil, feed cake, and other Dean pro-
ducts is rapidly increasing ana tne
farmers of the United States are pre-
pairing to meet this demand,
The character Of growth, the uhl-
form maturing habits, and the heaEy
seed Yields of the soy beans, says the
bulletin contribute to the ease Oh
harvesting and recommend the plants
for seed production. The many us
advantages which attend the mar
vesting of cowpeas for seed are not
common to the soy bean. When grown
for grain alone the shatterlng OF the
pods of the soy bean is a serious
fault and inexperienced growers are
likely to sustain a heavy loss OIL Seeu
through lack of knowledge ana I'M
proper handling of the soy-bean pant
The SCATTERING varies with the var
ieties of the bean. 1t is we'll, however
with most varieties to give special at
tentiOn as maturity approaches 10
prevent serious losses from this cause
Time of Harvesting.
In general the best time to harvest,
excaDt where special bean harvesters
are used. is when about three-toufthS
of the leaves have fallen and most OF
the mods have turned color. If cut at
an earlier stage the plants are dlttl-
culr TO cure properly, and the yield
will be lessened materially on account
If the immature grain. On the other
hand. if the plants are allowed to be-
come too ripe the pods will shatter be-
fore being cut, and much seed Will De
lost. When special harvesters are USED
to gather the seed. the plants must
reach full maturity to obtain the best
results.
Methods of Harvesting.
Various methods of harvesting the
crOD are in use in different sections
where the soy bean is grown largely
for seed production. The crop may be
cut with ordinary moving machines,
self-rake reapers, self binders, or even
with scvthes. corn knives, or sick
les. The Leans also may be harvested
with a special bean harvester which
gathers the grain from the standing
plants.
When the plants are cut before ma
turity they are cured in shocks ana
allowed to remain in the field until
convenient time for thraShing. If
thoroughly dry they may be housed
and thrashed later.
ThraShing.
Thrashing may be done with an Or
binary grain separator, but If this
machine is used it must be altered
somewhat to prevent the cracking OF
the beans In some cases special
set of thin cOncaves is used for thrash
ing beans and in other instances some
of the cOncaVes are removed. Good
Judgment on the part of thraSherman
will enable him to adjust the ordinary
separator so that the beans may be
thrashed with little splitting. Special
/ a and bean separatOrs are on the
market and their use may be advis
able when large acreagGS OF the beans