South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-08
HARVESTING SOY
BEANS FOR GRAIN
Useful for Other Purposes
Than Hay, According to
Finding of Experts.

For the information OF farmers
who are beginning 10 grow SOY
beans for grain rather than for hay.
and who are unfamiliar with the
handling OF the plants under the
former conditions. the United States
department OF agriculture will
shortly publish farmers bulletin.
Harvesting Soy Beans for Seed %
The demand for these seeds for use
in the production Of oil, feed cake,
and other bean products is apid v
increasing and the farmers Of the
United states are preparing TO meet
this demand.
The character of growth, the uni
form maturing habits, and the heavy
seed yields of the SOY beans. says
the bulletin, contribute 10 the ease
Of harvesting and recommend the
plants for seed production. The
many disadvantages which attend
the harvesting of cowpeas for seed
are not common 10 the soy bean.
When grown for grain alone the
SCATTERING of the pods of the SOY
bean is a serious fault and mex
perienced growers are likely 10 sus-
tain a heavy loss through lack Of
knowledge and improper handling
of the soy bean plant. The shatter-
ing varies with the varieties of the
bean. II is well. however, with most
varieties TO give special attention
as maturity approaches 20 prevent
| serious losses from this cause.
Time of Harvesting.
In general. the best time TO harry
est. except where special bean harry
esters are used, is when about three
fourths Of the leaves have fallen and
most of the pods have turned color.
! If cut at an earlier stage the plants
are difficult 10 cure properly. and
| the yield will be lessened materially
on account of the immature grain.
| on the other hand. il the plants are
allowed 10 become too ripe the pods
will shatter before being cut, and
much seed Will he lost. when spec
ial harvesters are used 10 gather the
seed the plants much reach fun ma
turity TO obtain the best results.
Methods of Harvesting.
Various methods Of harvesting
the crop are in use in different sec
tions where the SOY bean is grown
largely for seed production. The
crop may be cut with ordinary NOW
| ing machines self-rake reapers, self
| binders or even with scythes. corn
knives or sickles. The beans also
may he harvested with a special
/ bean harvester which gathers the
nj
When the plants are cut before
maturity they are cured in shocks
! and allowed TO remain i'm the field
until a convenient time for thresh-
| ing. II thoroughly dry they may be
housed and threshed later.
Thrcshing.
Threshing may be done with an
1 ordinary grain separator, but if this
/ ma hine is used il must be altered
! somewhat TO prevent the cracking
/ of the beans. In some cases spec
/ ial set of thin concaves is used for
! threshing beans and in other in
stances some of the concaves are
! removed. Good judgment on The
/ part Of the thresheTman viii enable
! him 10 adjust the ordinary separa
! tor So that the beans may he thresh-
ed with little splitting. Special pea
/ and bean separators are on the mar
| ket and their use may he advisable
! when large acreagcs of the beans
/ are TO be handled. If thoroughly
/ dry. SOY beans can be threshed with
q fail. If only a small acreage is
/ TO be threshed-an acre or sO-this
( method is practicable and economi-
! cal. I'm few sections corn shred
( der has been used 10 advantage in
/ threshing beans. IL properly cured
/ and dried out the beans shell out
very rapidly with such a machine
The straw obtained from thresh-
/ ing SOY beans for seed is a valuable
feed for all kinds of stock In many
sections the straw is baled at the
! time Of threshing and sold TO livery
men. dairymen and stock feeders.
Storage of Seed.
As soy bean seed spells rather
] easily if not properly handled care
| should he exercised in curing and
| storing. After tho beans are
! threshed they should be watched
carefully 20 avoid heating and mold
] ing. When thoroughly dry there is
/ no such danger. The best plan. per
haps. is 10 spread the seeds out on
] "a floor Immediately after threshing
and shovel them over from time "a
time until they are thoroughly dry
/ After this they may Doe safely put
! into sacks or bins The storerooW
/ should he dry and with a free circu-
/ lation OF ait Soy bean seed loses L.,
/ viabiHty rather rapidly. and il is not
safe 20 hold seed for planting pur-
/ ooses more than two seasons. The
! seeds Of the SOY bean, unlike those
Of the cowpea. are rarely attacked
/ by weevils or other grain insects.
Or. AxteIl. Dentist. 215 Union
/ Trust Bldg. -Advt.
!