The Pulaskian., 1917-04-27


 the seeds are richer in feeding value. l There are many different varieties, which vary in time of ripening from 90 days from sowing to the entire grow ing season.
 Soy beans, like cowpeas, are sowp broadcast or drilled, but, being erect, are we'll 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 new crop in many place inocula- tion should be practiced. It 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 ani- mals.
 Lespedeza.
 TncTa6nzo ic legume, which is spread over the en- tire cotton region except on the light sandy soils of Florida. It is univer- ally used as late summer pasturage, but on fertile soils it 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 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 leaves, the stems being very slender. It makes a hay equal to red clover or cowpeas in quality.
 Alfalfa.
 On land where it will succeed. al- falfa is one of the best crops for a permanent meadow, and is also valu- able as a pasture plant. Alfalfa needs rich, well-6rained land having a loose subsoil and containing q good supply of lime. The black prairie region of Alabama and Mississippi, the alluviaI sections along the Tennessee, Missis- sippi, and Red rivers, northeastern Texas, and the region of the Rio Grande are all adapted to the produc- tion of alfalfa. Wherever the soil is of limestone origin, or contains a high percentage of lime, alfalfa is nearly sure to succeed. Sandy soils and dry clay uplands have not proven satis- factory for alfalfa, neither does it thrive in the Gulf-coast region.
 Many soils not naturally adapted to alfalfa have been made suitable hy 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 aI- falfa when thoroughly drained. Lands newly drained and many other we'll drained lands commonly need an an- plieatfon 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.
 The seedbed should be thoroughly prepared before sowing alfalfa seed. that is, 1t should be finely pulverized well compacted, and free from weeds l Well-cultivated fields of early yarie- ties Of cowpeas or soy beans. early m. tatoes or similar crops which nature early may be prepared easily for al- falfa.
 Fall-sown alfalfa should yield from three to live cuttings the following season and average about one ion of cured hay per acre each cutting. There IS no better hay than alfalfa for ualry, peer cattle, sheep, and younp growing stock of all kinds. It ,s a,so valuable feed for working animals but care should be taken not to food It excessively. It affords snlendis pasturage Tor hogs, but care must he taken not to pasture It too closely nor 100 late in the season. In general pasturing alfalfa is not to be recon. mended Tn the South. as the stand is Ireauently injured, then weeds tbr4ve and invade the field. ''ss