Macon beacon., 1917-04-27

SOY BEANS ON RIGHT.
the seeds are richer in feeding value.
There are many different varieties,
which vary in time OF ripenlng from 30
days from sowing to the entire grow
Ing season.
Soy beans. like cowpeas, are sdwn
broadcast or drilled. hut, being erect
nrc well suited to cultivation in rows.
Rows should be placed three or more
feet apart. and the seeding should b
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 MS this Is
still II new crop In many place inocula-
tion should be practiccd. II Is not well
TO plant soy beans near to woods, az
rabbits nre 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 rs soon ms 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 IL
fully ns nutritious as TINT from cow
, peas and Is relished by all farm AMI
mails.
Lespedeza.
LeSpedeZa Is Il sclf-Secdng annual
legume. which Is spread over the en-
tire cotton region except on the light
=, sandy soils Of Florida. II Is univer-
ally used as late summer pasturage,
q but on fertile soils II makes such n
n heavy growth that 1t is probably
q harvested for hay. On fields that hnve
. become barren and unproductive les
q pedeZn will do much to restore the fer
6 tilIty Of the soil, and commonly II ap-
, pears, even II not sown.
. Seeding should be done in late WIN
. ter or early spring at the rate Of about
onc-hnlf bushel Of seed per acre. When
:, grown for hay 1t Is commonly sOwn
!, with oats the oats being sown In Sep
g tember or October and the lespedeza
=, In the following February or March,
after first narrowing the ground. The
;. principal part Of the lespedeza plant is
4 leaves, the stems being very slender.
- 1t makes hay equal to red clover or
4 cowpeas In quality.
!. Alfalfa.
# On land where it will succeed, al
,s falfa Is one Of the best crops for a
20 permanent meadow, and IS also valu-
d able as pasture plant. Alfalfa needs
u rich. well-dralned land having loose
10 subsOll and containing good supply
d Of lime The black prairie region Of
v Alabama and Mississippi, the alluvlal
n sections along the Tennessee, Missls-
r sippl, and Red rivers, northeastern
10 Texas, and the region Of the Rio
n Grande are all adapted to the produc-
4. ton of alfalfa. Wherever the soil Is
,s OF limestone origin or contains high
le percentage Of lime, alfalfa Is nearly
sure to succeed Sandy soils and dry
clay uplands have not proven satis-
factory for alfalfa, neither does 1t
i thrive in the Gulf-coast region.
III Many soils not naturally adapted to
VI alfalfa have been made suitable by
Al special treatment, and the acreage OF
j this crop is increasing very fast as a
Al result OF the utilization Of such areas.
Al Some wet lands become suited to al
Il fafa when thoroughly drained. Lands
II newly drained and many other we'll
4 drained lands commonly need an ap-
i plcatlon Of lime for alfalfa. From
4 one to two tons OF burnt lime, two or
a three tons of saked lime, or three or
II four tons Of finely ground limestone
/ per acre are good applications.
Z The seedbed should be thoroughly
q prepared before sowing alfalfa seed;
-, that ls ii should be finely pulverized.
!" well compacted, and free from weeds.
Well cultivated fields Of early varie-
e- ties Of cowpeas or SOY beans. early po-
~ tatoes, or similar crops which mature
Of early may be prepared easily for al
ur falfa.
Of Fall-sown alfalfa should yield from
IN three to five cuttings the following
Ir season and average about one ton Of
us cured hay per acre each cutting. There
ly is no better hay than alfalfa for
dairy, beef cattle, sheep, and young
growing stock Of all kinds 1t is also
w II valuable feed for working animals,
as but care should be taken not to feed
nd It excessively. II affords splendid
DIS pasturage for hogs, but care must be-
ay taken not to pasture 1t too closely nor
W. too late In the season. In general.
its pasturing alfalfa Is not to be recom-
a mended In the South, as the stand Is
ice frequently injured. then weeds thrive
nd and Invade the field.