Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-05-12

cites which mature in from 100 to 100
days from planting While they yield
less OF vines than the preceding vari-
cites, they produce an abundance OF
a nutritious seed-in- pod. Chinese Vel
vet Bean, Yokohama Velvet Bean and
the recently introduced 100 Day"
Velvet Bean, the latter maturing IN
about 100 days at Haiku,
The Florida experiment station has
done fine work by producing a num-
Der Of useful crosses by artificial NY
bridization. Among these we have
tested the "Oscela." a cross between
the Lyon and Florida varieties, which
promises to become a valuable acquisi-
ton TO the territory because OF its
comparatively early maturity and
heaVY seeding.
Cultural Methods
Because Of its long trailing vines
which may attain 20 feet OF length in
a season the velvet bean is PROSTATE
in its growth unless given support
When support is furnished the yield
of beans IL greatly enhanced. We
therefore strongly advise growing the
bean between corn This may be
done TO advantage by the following
methods. without seriously decreasing
the yield of corn.
l. Plant corn as regularly practised
/ and plant the velvet beans between
every second, third or fourth row OF
the corn two to three seeds per hill
four, three or two feet apart. depend
y BY substituting every other row
CT corn with velvet leans, planting
the beans in hills two, three or four
feet apart
3 Plant in the regular corn row
single seed one. two or three <!9et
apart
In all but the last method the beans
may be planted at the same time that
the corn is planted, especially II the
spacing of corn rows is five or more
feet apart, or the beans may be plant
ed at any subsequent time up to. the
last cultivation of the corn. By the
former method much more of the corr
will become submerged by the bean
vines, and some hindrance to the ma
sturity- of corn grain may result. We
therefore recommend that the "orn
be given at least months start ever
the velvet beans.
/ When the bean tendrils begin to de-
velopf the ground will have become
sufficiently shaded to suppress all
weed growth and 40 further attention
need be given the crop until time of
harvest or pasturing.
Utilization Of the Crop
r If the crop is to be pastured, which
We strongly recommend on account
ofithe difficulty of harvesting so 'ank
a igrowth, care should be taken tc
herd the stock for the first few days.
While we have observed no bloat re-
sulting from such feeding it is wen 10
be on ones guard, especially if cattle
are taken from a scant pasture to one
of great luXurialce.
! {If the crop is wanted mainly for it's
seed, it should be left until BILLY 1sa7
tured and a large proportion Of the
leaves have dried and fallen. The
pods are then easily harvested. An
Leverage days work is to pick 500 to
.t10G0 pounds in pod, When thoroughly
dry the heans-in+pod may be ground
into a coarse meal and fed as a 2onE
cehtrate. either alone or preferably,
in pombination with corn, to all class
Les of livestock. The bean-in-pod meal
twin supply digestible nutrients in 100
ponds, in comparison with oats, al
follows: Y
migestible carbohydrates - Velvet
|. bean meal, ST. pounds; oats, 12.l
tponnds.
! Digestihle protein - Velvet 5ean
meal. 149 pounds; oats, 81 pounds.
! Digestfble fat-Velvet bean meal,
3S pounds; oats, 3,S pounds.
4 The high feeding value of the bean
meal is strikingly illustrated in the
above. And II is safe to say that IN
der favorable conditions the oean
meal can be produced for about half
of the cost of oats at present prices.
I If the entire plant is to be made into
bay, favorable curing weather is the
first requisite. A heavy mower With
three strong horses will be necessary
to cut the dense mass unless it is mt
by hand. AS large proportion of the
pods as possible should be mature
! before harvesting as hay, since tie
green pods are very likely to mold in
curing.
| When the vines are thoroughly
tcured, in which stage they turn very
,idark onlored and brittle, they may be
icut into two or three-inch lengths. A
i12 to 14-inch feed cutter with hip.
J engine will handle about two tons PEI
hour.
In this chopped form the vines I7sy
be baled and stored. Care, however,
should be taken that no large perc aut
! age Of green pods. only partly cured,
ienter into the bales. i;
/ For the past two years. the Haiku
,suh-station has ground the vel'9t
bean hay into meal as a substitute 70:
alfalfa meal When the seed and pods
are included We have considered the
velvet bean meal superior to the a!fa!,
ia meal, and would strongly recon-
mend this feed as one. method of COM
hating the present high cost of feeds
In Hawaii