Tombstone epitaph., 1917-02-25

Prepared by the United States Depart
 ment of Agriculture)
 The soy bean, a legume introduced Into this country from Asia, may be grown throughout the humid and semi humid sections of the South and in the southern portion of the corn belt, and thrives especially well in the cot ton-growing regions. Because of this latter fact It offers an excellent op- portunity to the cotton planter for ad- justing his farm plans to offset the damage to cotton inflicted by the boil weevil.
 On the other hand, since a valuable oil may be pressed from the beans in cottonseed oil mills, and since boil weevil activities tend to lessen cotton seed production, the growing of soy beans in the South should greatly in- terest the owners of oil mills. The production of soy beans in consider able quantities may, in fact, be needed in some seasons to keep the expensive equipment of the mills operating prof itably.
 Importance of Bean.
 The bean already occupies a place of unusual economic importance in Asia and especially as material from which foodstuffs, cattle feed, fertilizer, and oil suitable for variety of uses may be manufactured, should become increasingly important in the United States to both farmers and manufac- turers.
 From the farmers point of view the existence of the many oil mills in the South and the probability that by fur nishing demand for soy beans these concerns will make the legume an i'm portant cash crop should greatly facili- tate the introduction of the new pro- duct on a commercial scale. Soy beans should be of additional interest to farmers, since, as in the case of other legumes, their culture improves the soil. If a sustained demand for them can be built up. therefore, soy beans can be introduced advantageously into a rotation with cotton, furnishing at the same time second important cash product and a soil-imprOving crop.
 Development of Industry.
 The recognition of the possibilities of bringing about the production of SOY beans on a commercial basis in the South is not based only on the economic importance of the crop in Asia, where its production on a large scale has been established for many years, or on the established market for the beans practically throughout Europe. Soy beans have been grown for forage in this country for many years, and their adaptability to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions has become fully demonstrated. In recent years the crop has been grown to an increasing extent for its seeds fin eastern North Carolina. A large nroduction of the beans In this sec tion in 1915, together with the occur renee of a cottonseed shortage, led ,o the experimental pressing of con- siderable quantity of beans by local nil mills. These experiments were en- tirely satisfactory and the mills par ficipating in them are now taking an active part in the development of this new industry with American-grown beans. oil mills on the Pacific coast have been operating for several years x,th soy beans imported from Man churia and have found ready sale In this region for the oil. cake, and other products.
 Culture Of Soy Bean.
 The soy bean can be grown success fulIv on nearly all types of soil and ha. about the same range of climatic .daptation as varieties of corn. The growing and handling of the beans are accomplished almost entirely by ma rbinery in this country, the ordinary farm equipment meeting all the re- ouirements of the crop. Tn large bean growing districts special harvesters sor gathering the seed in the field are used quite successfully. The cost of nroduct,ou varies from $7-50 to SIP nsr aers, depending on the methods