Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-09
Government PRAISES
THE VALUABLE SOY BEAN
Wants to See It Growing All Over
tho South-Would Pay Bet
ter Than Corn.
VIEWS OF DEPARTMENT EXPERT
Virginia Has Experimental to Very
Limited Extent and Found tho
Bean Easy to Grow-China and
japan Produce Big Crops.

Tho Agricultural Department Of the
United States government Is putting
forth strenuous efforts to induce the
farmers OF the South to go more ex-
tensively in the cultivation Of soy
beans. Alfred G. Smith, of the farm
management bureau OF the depart
ment. is now in the South on this
business.
He is authority for the statement
that the principal production in this
country at this time is confined to the
Carolinas. and he says the experiments
that have been made to a very limited
extent in Virginia prove that the soy
bean is most profitable crop to raise
in this State. Mr.. Smith says:
There were marketed in North
Carolina last year more than 100000
bushels. some selling as high as s2.45
bushel. The bean is planted and
cultivated much like corn. 1t may be
placed broadcast in corn. about two
bushels to the acre. and after the corn
is gathered, laid open for hogs. 1t
will last them until Christmas. When
cotton is well advanced. soy beans may
be drilled in alternate middies, leaving
ONhNA oAtSa ilotCS lOI tLc plChlnS ma
chine. The bean is a great manufac-
turer Of nitrogen from the air, and
not only enrichcs the land, but aids
crops. such as corn or peanuts, planted
In alternate rows with IL. Cotton
planted on the soy-bean field in the
following year will make 10 to 90 per
cent better crop than normal.
JAPAN, CHINA AND MANCHURIA
HOMES OF THE BEAN
Moro than 1oo,ooO.0oo bushels Of
the soy beans mako up the world crop.
or this crop. IS per cent Is produced In
China. japan and Alanchuria. The
United States. especially in the South,
Is beginning to be considerable pro-
Queer. the South especially. because tho
south has the cottonsecd oil mills with
facilities for crushing the beans. 1t
Is the belief Of the national govern
ment that this ought to become a very
valuable American food crop. 1t seems
10 be the belief OF the cottonseed
crushers that. by adding the beans to
the supply of cottonseed. a longer run
may DC made and less idle time expert
enced Tor their plants. now run for
about third Of the time
1T has been found that the bean
corn thrivcs. The chief drawback in
america has been lack OF a market
But many OF us are eating these beans
every day in the form of the famous
BAKED bean. with which the soy bean
is very extensively combined. In fact
'he taking is SO prompt at Sc a bush ell
10 the farmers that the crushers get
only small part OF the whole"
FACTS AS TO ITS
CULTURE AND VALUE
or the manner of seeding and cul.
tivatinE the bean. Mr.. Smith says:
1T produces about GO Der cen. .s
many bushels as corn. II alt.rneta
rows OF corn and beans are planted
."o.'hirds OF a full crop of each ought
10 De gathered. The bean may be
planted as early as May or as late as
1uly' when the oat and wheat crons
nave been removed from land To he
useo. The harvesting is with a me.
chanical picker. which will handle in
inc ten days gathering season, for
INC Deans ripen all at one time. FORTY
10 forty-fve acres The machine
threshes the bean as it gathers the
pods. after the frost has removed the
ieaFes' SO that practically oil of the
vegetation is left to enrich the land
An average of one-eighth OF the beans
are lost in this process, about tn.
amount OF toll that would be maid
where tho beans are cut with the en-
're vine and threshed in the usua,
manner. Hogs are allowed to run IN
the land and eat the shattered beans
30 that they arc not lost"