New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1917-06-16
PLANT VELVET BEANS,
SOY BEANS OR COW PEAS
A Trio of Most Valuable Crops-Con-
ditions Under Which Each
Should Be Grown.

Velvet beans, soy beans and COW
| peas are the most valuable trio OF
| plants under average conditions that
can be grown on the farms in LOUIS
| lana and other Southern states It is
not claimed that they are satisfactory
money crops" in the commonly az
| Cepted meaning Of that term Their
| chief value is in their power to build
up poor and worn out soils or keep up
/ the fertility of productive soils, and
as crops for feed
As to which of the crops should be
| planted on farm. this depends on
| the use to bs made OF the crop and
the conditions under which it is to
grow For soil Improvement the one
that will make the greatest growth
under given conditions is tho best
When the crop is harvested as hay
and only the stubble left, the benefit
to the land Is only about one-fourth
as great as whom the whole plant is
turned under This benefit from the
crop extends through one. two or
three years, depending upon the char
acter of the soil On sandy soil the
effect Is dissipated very largely tho
fnrst year, while on heavier land tho
benefits are marked through at least
three years
Velvet Beans Best For Fertilizer.
Velvet beans is the best of the
three where only the fertilizing effects
are desired, and on medium to poor
grades of land we believe they should
always be planted in preference to
other crops. The seed OF velvet beans
are not as expensive as either of the
other two and the Early Speckled,
Chinese, Yokohama and Lyon varieties
Will produce seed anywhere in Louis
lana. In the opinion Of experts, the
best varieties to grow under average
conditions. Corn should always be
planted on the land where velvet
beans are to be grown and the beans
planted between the hills or in alter
nate rows, some time in April Tho
corn serves as support which In
creases the crop of vines and makes
the production Of seed more certain
Velvet beans are not recommended
for any purpose that requires harvest
ing Of the vines. The seed may be
gathered after frost and live stock put
in the field to consume all or a part
of the vines The Early Speckled va
riety should be planted thick enough
to have a stalk every II inches. The
Chinese, or running varieties, can be
given two or three times this space.
Soy Beans For Hay and Siiage.
Soy beans are preferable to either
OF the two other crops under consid-
GRAFTON where the production of hay
or silage is the object, or where it Is
desired to use the seed as a money
crop as a substitute for cotton. They
are, az a rule, not generally grown
strictly as . soil improving crop.
They do not do so well as a catch
crop in corn nor when planted broad
cast as cow peas or velvet beans. Soy
beans may be planted any time from
the middle of April to the middle OF
July. and on this account IL one Of
the most valuable crops to follew tho
oat crop. For successful growth, SOY
beans require that the land be put In
frst class condition before planting.
To plant soy beans under the poor
conditions frequently found In grow
Ing cowpeas Is waste OF time. The
soil must be well plowed, thoroughly
narrowed and the planting done right.
The seed should Be- covered not more
than ono to one and one-half inches.
Rows for soy beans should be from
two to three and one-half feet in
width, depending on the fertility OF
the land. Planting should be done with
q corn planter and tho cuItivating
done entirely with the plow. As long
as cotton seed brings more than $50. 90 |
per ton at the OIL mills, soy beans
may be grown as a satisfactory money
crop Fifteen or twenty bushels are
considered ~ satisfactory yields.
though there are records Of moro |
than forty bushels per acre.
Cow Peas q Good Catch Crop.
The COW pea Is 80 we'll known that |
a discussion Of 1t need not he carried |
TO any extent It is a profitable catch
crop on the best grades OF land where
II is desirable to keep up the fsrtil-
ity and where the crop to follow must |
b planted In the fall-too oarIv IN !
follow a velvet bean crop Cowpeas are
not satisfactory on poorly drained land
nor in seasons Of extreme rainfall. |
The seed crop. Also, is very unccr-
tain and the price of seed is frequent
" prohibitive.
W. r. Perkins,
1.-Two Stock Extension Service. Louis
lana State University.