Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-27
VELVET BEANS
SUCCESSOR FARMING

1 broader leaf and having white instead
OF purple flowers. The pods are also
covered with short white hairs instead
Of the black velvety hairs of the Florida
bean The seed OF the Lyon variety is
| white and the foliage is less dense.
The Yokohama bean was introduced
| into Mississippi from Japan. This
species is the earliest yet found, as 1t
natures in about 100 days. 1t is also
| prolific, but not so hardy or so vigor-
GUS a grower the other sorts. 1t is
| supposed that the new To-day speckled
bean which originated IN southern Ala
bana is a hybrid OF the Florida and
Yokohama bean II possesses the most
desirable characteristics of both par
ents. enjoying the hardness of the
| Florida bean and the earliness and pro-
| ductiveness OF the Yokohama bean.
/ This makes IL, therefore. one OF the
most desirable OF existing strains. The
pods OF the To-day variety are large
and resemble in size, shape and color
! the Florida bean, thought the seeds
are Of somewhat lighter color, being
dark speokled. which accounts for the
name which has been given to this
strain. The foliage IL less dense, but
/ otherwise almost identical with the
Florida bean. This strain IL hardy in
so far as IL has been tested, and pos
sesses the very desirable quality of
early maturity. The pods will keep in
good condition In the field all winter
where they can be used as pasture for
cattle and hogs. This bean can be
grown over large areas OF the south. as
Il natures IN q much shorter period
OF time than the Florida bean.
The velvet bean is valuable crop
because IL is not costly to plant; in
other words. II may be regarded as
side crop or addition to the corn crop.
while IL may be planted in a variety
/ OF ways. II is probably best to plant
Il IN corn. 1t may be sown alongside
the drill row, the planting being done
/ when the corn is six to twelve inches
high. or in case the corn is planted in
six-foot drills, it may be sown in the
middle Of the drill. Yields of any
where from ten to twenty-five bushels
/ OF grain may be anticipated. Much de-
ponds on the season. the fertility OF
the sofr and the method OF fertilization
practiced. Velvet bean seed is much
richer in protein then corn. and for
the purpose OF soil Improvement II has
distinct advantage over that crop.
About a peck OF seed should be plant
/ ed per acre. In some instances the
seed Is dropped alongside the corn row.
say. opposite every second and tt'rd
stalk. This is a rather tedious method
OF planting. however, though II can be
done by children at small expense. The
crop may be planted by itself for the
purpose OF soil Improvement and for
use as pasture and grain production. 1t
will grow on almost any soil; I'm fact.
4 Il is one of the best legumes to be de-
pended on for soil enrichment. When
/ the beans are planted by themselves
they are generally put in the drills six
/ feet apart.
The Importance of this crop is bes;
shown by the fact that the yields indi
/ Gated above may be obtained from the
/ same land where corn is grown. the vel
/ vet beans growing and developing
| chiefly after the corn crop is matured.
! They add greatly to the feeding value
of corn. For instance. If the corn and
/ beans are ground together in equal
parts. very desirable food for the diff
/ ferent classes of live stock is obtained.
/ In other words, they provide the farmer
1 with q considerable amount of the very
/ essential protein his hive stock must
| have and which in the past he has been
/ forced to purchase i'm a rather expensive
/ form. Moreover. the beans and corn
/ stalks If harvested and cut up will pro-
/ vide an improved source of roughage
| from that ordinarily fed Corn stake.
Z d. - Wei AhoWAts are low III DTONcAtt
and excessively high in carbohydrates.
| Velvet bean vines if gathered and pre-
| served at the right time provide con-
| siderable amount of this element. o.
| course. since the beans do not rot read
/ lily. they may be left in the field and
| harvested by cattle and hogs. There is
/ considerable waste in this method of
/ handling the crop, vet this is probably
fully Offset by the labor and equipment
q
/ to harvest the crop and feed in the man
/ ner indicated above.
/ For the purpose OF blowing under for
/ the enrichment OF soils low in vegeta-
bic matter. the velvet bean should be
( utilized extensively in the future. 1T
I will help to supply our soils with hu-
/ nus--a most important and essential
element in which they are normally de-
cient. When this is done the absorb
/ tive power of the soils will be increased
Y and the tendency TO erosion lesseneG.
Z Moreover. II is possible for this crop 10
I gather out Of the air 100 pounds or
more Of nitrogen in the course of
/ growing season. Commercial nitrogen
/ will now cost from 20 to % cents
/ pound. and yet II has been shown to be
i the most needed eleemnt in our Georgia
/ soils. Farmers will never be in posi-
/ ton TO buy enough OF Il at the prices
/ mentioned 10 meet the requirements OF
I their crops. With the solution of the
I nitrogen problem, the complicated ma
\ ture Of the fertilizer question Is simpli-
/ fed since we can afford to supply our
4 soils with phosphoric acid and potash.
Farmers. therefore, who have not plant
ed any velvet beans or attempted to
utilize this crop I'm the past should SOW
B an experimental area this year. BY all
f means plant this crop in corn land, and
T II any of the early ripening varieties
, are used they should mature sufficiently
/. early 20 make a satisfactory crop of
/ grain in any part OF the coastal plains
region and A very considerable part OF
/ the Piedmont section as well.
II COST OF BUILDING A CONCRETE
n SILO
II J. A. X, Camp Hill. Ala. writes am
II planning 20 build a silo and have an offer
II from contractor 20 build one l4x40 feet for
II Ss25. I 10 furnish the sand and gravel.