Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-19
a BEAN OF UNLIMITED PossIBILI-
TIES.


For many years we have known more
or less about the velvet bean. 1t came
10 us comparative stranger from Flori'
da and for number of years was
viewed with indifference by the farmers
generally OF the southeast. 1t was grown
to some extent for ornamental purpos-
es. and because of the enormous length
and size of vine il produced was re
garded probably more as curiosity
than a Dlant destined to revolutionizv
the agricultural practice Of the south. IL
possibly made fewer friends than IL
would otherwise have done had there
not been such great difficulty in bring
ing il to maturity in the agricultural
belt lying north of Florida and OF cur
fng il satisfactorily for hay. When It
made its initial appearance in the south
asst. live stock enterprises had not been
eveloped TO anything like the extent
which has taken place in recent years
therefore, !ts value for grazing pur-
.cses even in 4 green state was but
-.owly recognized The fact that t
-buld be combined with corn did not
seem TO occur TO any one until rathei
esently, as agricultural history goes.
Is virtue for soil Improvement was
$50 slow to be recognized, and hence
20 is not overstating the case TO say
-ods to the agriculture of the south
though known was only tolerated and
left in a large measure as a stranger
- thout the gates.
The advent OF the boil weevil served
% stimulate a renewed and growing
interest in live stock, and also TO direct
pur plantation owners attention TO the
necessity of producing substitute crops
for cotton in those areas where the
weeviI's sweep had proven the most de-
structive In this way the attention
~ our farmers was focused on the
.aivet bean. Moreover, nature through
ne mutations she causes 20 develop
lad through the course of years pro-
ced varieties of beans which matured
relatively short period as com
red with their original progenltors.
Cd. \ result certain varieties of this
equine are now known to mature IN
. to $50 days, thereby making its
litivation feasible over wide extent
territory and adapting it for growth
combination with corn to an admir-
bic degree AS asresult, its extensive
Utilization has been engaged in. In
zeorgia last year the figures indicate
nat we produced about $4,000 tons
% velvet beans. There is no available
ord for the year 1916. but the growth
beans previous to that time was
cry small indeed. We might thus say APP
i~oximately that a new crop OF vast
pstentialities sprung into public favor
almost in a single season. There IS
every reason to believe that velvet beans
will be more extensively cultivated IN
'IS1S. We should at least grow mL-
lion to a million and a half tons. We
will need all the grain they will pro-
duce for the increased supplies of live
stock we are expected TO maintain.
We can increase the bean crop to a
million and a half tons without bring
ing an additional new foot of soil under
| cultivation. This end is to be accom-
DIished by simply growing velvet beans
in every acre devoted to corn, and as
we devote several million acres to this
crop and probably cultivated beans last
year in only one-third of one-quarter
Dt this area, the possibilities for de-
yelopment in the production of beans
are practically unlimited. Experience
and observation have now demonstrated
that this is not only one of the most
vaIuable of our grazing crops. but one
II our best soil improvers. 1t is a
legurne and has that marvellous power
Of taking the nitrogen il needs from the
air AS our soils are lower in this
element. relatively speaking, than any
of the other essential plant foods, Its
value for the purpose indicated cannot
be over-estimated. There should not be
a farmer in the southeast this year
who does not cultivate the velvet beans
to a considerable extent. In the north
ern part of the area only the earliest
maturing varieties should be grown;
i'm the southern part of the best those
which require a longer time TO mature
may be utilized.
II Velvet beans are grown in every
acre of land devoted to corn this year
the potential value of our corn croE
will be more than doubled. because II
| has been definitely shown that we may
obtain anywhere from eight to fifteen
| bushels of beans per acre from every
acre devoted to corn. 1t should also
be clearly understood and appreciated
that this result may be accomplished