The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-09-05
HARVESTING SOY BEANS
FOR GRAIN ANO SEED
U. S. Department Of Agriculture
To Issue Bulletin On New
Industry.

grain rather than for hay, and who
are unfamiliar with the handling of
the plants under the former condi-
tions, the United States Department
of Agriculture will shortly PUBLISH
Farmers Bulletin, Harvesting Soy
Beans for Seed" The demand for
these seeds for use in the production
of oil, feed cake, and other bean pro-
ducts is rapidly increasing and the
farmers of the United States are
preparing to meet this demand.
The character of growth. the uni
form maturing habits, and the heavy
seed yields of the soy beans, says the
bulletin, contribute to the ease of
harvesting and recommend the plants
for seed production. The many dis
advantages which attend the har-
vesting Of cowpeas for seed are not
common to the soy bean. When
grown for grain alone the shattcring
of the pods of the soy bean is a Sc
rious fault and inexperienced grow
ers are likely to sustain heavy loss
Of seed through lack Of knowledge
and improper handling Of the soy
bean plant. The shattcring varies
with the varieties Of the bean. 1t is
well, however, with most varieties to
give special attention as maturity
approaches to prevent serious losses
from this cause.
Time of Harvesting.
In general, the best time to har-
vest, except where special bean har-
vesters are used, is when about three
fourths of the leaves have fallen and
most of the pods have turned color.
If cut at an earlier stage The plants
are difficult to cure properly, and the
yield will be lesscned materially on
account of the immature grain. On
the other hand, if the plants are al
lowed to become too ripe the pods
will shatter before being cut, and
much seed will be lost. When special
harvesters are used to gather the
seed, the plants must reach full ma
turity to obtain the best results.
Methods of Harvesting.
Various methods of harvesting the
crop are in use in different sections
where the soy bean is grown largely
for seed production. The crop may
be cut with ordinary moving ma
chimes, sclf-rake reapers, self bind
ers, or even with scythcs, corn knives
or sickles. The beans also NAV be
harvested with special bean har-
veSter which gathers the grain from
the standing plants.
When the plants are cut before
maturity they are cured in shocks
and allowed to remain in the field
until a convenient time for threshing. |
If thoroughly dry they may be housed
and theshed later.
Threshing.
Threshing may be done with an |
ordinary grain separator, but if this |
machine is used it must be altered |
somewhat to prevent the cracking |
of the beans. In some cases a spe-
cial set of thin concaves is used for
threshing beans and in other in
stances some of the concaves are re-
moved. Good judgment on the part
of the thresherman will enable him
TO adjust the ordinary separator so
that the beans may be threshed with
little splitting. Special pea and bean
separators are ION ,the market and
their use NAV be advisable when
large acreages of the beans are to be
handled. If thoroughly dry, soy beans
can be threshed with a fail. If only
a small acreage is to be threshed-
an acre or so-this method is prac-
ticable and economical. In few Sec
tons corn shredder has been used
to advantage in threshing beans. II
properly cured and dried out, the
beans shell out very readily with
such machine.
The straw obtained from threshing
soy beans for seed is a valuable feed
for all kinds of stock. In MANY sec
tons the straw is baled at the time
of threshing and sold to liverymen,
dairymen and stock feeders.
Storage Of Seed.
As soy-bean seed spoils rather
easily if not properly handled, care
should be exercised in curing and
storing. After the beans are thresh-
ed they should be watched carefully
TO avoid heating and molding. When
thoroughly dry there is no such dan
ger The best plan, perhaps, is TO
spread the seeds out on floor i'm
mediately after threshing, and shovel
them over from time TO time until
they are thoroughly dry. After this
they may be safely put into sacks or
bins. The stoseroom should be dry
and with a free circulation of air.
Soy-bean seed loses its viability rath-
err rapidly, and il is not safe TO hold
caaI for nIantinn n..rnaaae noopal