Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-05-18

the seeds are richer in feeding value.
There are many different varieties,
which vary in time of ripening from 30
days from sowing to the entire grow
ing season.
Soy beans, like cOwpeas. are sown
broadcast or drilled, but, being erect.
are well suited to cultivation In rows.
Rows should be placed three or more
feet apart. and the seeding should be
from one and One-half to two pecks
per acre. This quantity Of seed should,
Of course, be increased for broadcast
ing. The seed should be planted not
deeper than two inches, and as this is
still a new crop in many place inOcula-
ton should be practiced. 1t Is not well
to plant soy beans near to woods, as
rabbits are very fond Of the plant.
If used for hay. soy beans should be
cut when the first leaves begin to turn
yellow; if for seed, the cutting should
not be done until the leaves have near
ly all fallen. The pods of many varie-
ties shatter easily, and should be
harvested as soon as ripe and in the
morning, when pods are wet with dew.
Soy beans are harvested for hay in
the same manner as cOwpeas, but are
cured with less difficulty. The hay Is
| fully as nutritious as that from cow
peas and is relished by all farm ami
mails.
Lespedeza.
LespedeZa is selfseeding annual
legume, which is spread over the en-
tire cotton region except on the light
sandy soils of Florida. 1t is univer-
ally used as late summer pasturage,
but on fertile soils ii makes such
heavy growth that it is profitably
harvested for hay. On fields that have
become barren and unproductive les
pedeza will do much to restore the fer
tility of the SOIL and commonly it ap-
pears, even If not sOwn.
Seeding should be done in late win
ter or early spring at the rate Of about
One-half bushel of seed per acre. When
grown for hay 1t is commonly sOwn
with oats, the oats being sOwn in Sep
TENDER or October and the lespedeza
in the following February or March.
after first narrowing the ground. The
principal part of the lespedeza plant is
, leaves. the stems being very slender.
, 1t makes hay equal to red clover or
, cOwpeas in quality.
Alfalfa.
I On land where it will succeed, al
: falfa is one of the best crops for a
n permanent meadow, and Is also valu-
7 able as pasture plant. Alfalfa needs
, rich, well-drained land having loose
p subsoil and containing a good supply
! of lime. The black prairie region of
Y Alabama and Mississippi, the alluvial
|. sections along the Tennessee, Missis-
: sippi, and Red rivers, northeastern
p Texas. and the region of the Rio
r Grande are all adapted to the produc-
: ton of alfalfa. Wherever the soil Is
$ of limestone origin, or contains Il high
g percentage of lime, alfalfa is nearly
sure to succeed. Sandy soils and dry
clay uplands have not proven salts
factory for alfalfa, neither does 1t
thrive I'm the Gulf-coast region.
Many soils not naturally adapted TO
alfalfa have been made suitable by
special treatment, and the acreage of
this crop is increasing very fast as
result of the utilization of such areas.
Some wet lands become suited to al
falfa when thoroughly drained. Lands
newly drained and many other we'll
drained lands commonly need an ap-
pIication of lime for alfalfa. From
one to two tons of burnt lime. two or
| three tons of slaked lime, or three or
/ four tons Of finely ground limestone
\ per acre are good applications.
4 The seedbed should be thoroughly
] prepared before sowing alfalfa seed !;
that is, it should be finely pulverized,
" well compacted. and free from weeds.
Well-cultivated fields of early varie-
p ties Of cOwpeas or soy beans early po-
y tatoes, or similar crops which mature
# early may be prepared easily for al
If falfa.
II Fal-sown alfalfa should yield from
N three to five cuttings the following
r season and average about one ton of
&c cured hay per acre each cutting. There
" is no better hay than alfalfa for
dairy, beef cattle, sheep. and young
growing stock of all kinds. 1t Is also
w valuable feed for working animals,
~ but care should be taken not to feed
ID II excessively. 1t affords splendid
Is pasturage for hogs, but care must be
" taken not to pasture 1t too closely nor
" too late I'm the season. In general,
rs pasturing alfalfa is not to be recon-
n mended I'm the South. as the stand Is
re frequently injured. then weeds thrive
I'd and invade the field.