Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-19

without in any sense initiating against
the yield of corn. This is due TO the
fact that the velvet bean is planted
relatively late and does not develop
to any appreciable extent until the
corn is practically mature. The corn
stalks provide the necessary support
for the beans. and allow them to grow
spread and mature to better advantage
than if they were planted on a sepa-
rate area of ground Moreover, the
velvet bean shades the soil, enriches
il in the manner already indicated, and
enables the land owner to gather two
crops from a single acre OF land, the
last of which is produced and de-
veloped practically without effort on
the part of the farmer The wise and
aggressive farmer will not fail to grow
velvet beans in his corn this year II
he does not he is losing an oppor-
tunity. not only to serve himself &C
ceptably but his country as well.
As to the methods Of utilizing velvet
beans. opinions vary, but in most sec
tons of the country, especially where
the soils are rather sandy, the crop may
be left standing in the field and mar
vested by hogs and cattle which sather
their own feed. and at the same time
get fat and ready for market. This
both the corn and beans and storing and
preserving them. On sandy areas the
land is not hurt by the tramping OF
the cattle or hogs, and as fine COM
bination crop for the fattening of ami
mails of both classes is made avallaole
at a relatively small cost as can be
found anywhere in the world. 1t is us
ability to grow such combination crops
as corn and velvet beans that has made
the south distinctly a live stock pro-
ducing section. Those who doubt these
statements should have had the privi-
lege of seeing the large number of hogs
and cattle finished in parts Of south and
southwest Georgia last winter on this
combination crop. a trip into that sec
ton of the state will now reveal thou
sands of head of live stock being main
tanned primarily on velvet beans when
were simply gathered and stored in the
hull and are soaked a few hours before
being fed Velvet beans are so hard that
they are not affected by the weevil and
can be kept indefinitely. They Will stand
out all winter in the weather without
injury. This crop is indeed a boon q
our people and the sooner we recognize
IL and cultivate IT as extensively as
possible, the more prosperous ana sue
Cessful will our people become and the
greater will be our ability to maintain
and finish, not only the meat-produclnS
ANIMALS needed by our people, but those
in less favored sections of the country
as well. OF course, greater yields may
sometimes be obtained where the velvet
beans are planted alone, but in that
event no corn is secured. 1t is possible,
of course that the velvet beans may
on occasions decrease the yield or corn,
but here again the loss is so small as
compared with the advantage OF the
combination crop that the growing OF
the two together still represents a ma
terial advantage to the land owner.
Beans may be planted between the
rows of corn or in the drill The best
method of seeding from our point OF
view is TO drop one or two beans along
side every hill of corn. A peck of seed
when used in this manner will be sur
ficient to plant anywhere from two TO
four acres. AS a rule, unless the corn
is planted very early, the beans may
be planted at the same time. AS al
ready pointed out, their growth and de-
velopment i'm the early part of the sea
son is relatively slow and the corn will
be able to take care of itself. They can
of course be planted between the hills
of corn later In such cases the yield
of corn is likely to be greater and the
yield of beans less, unless the seasons
are exceptionally Icing and favorable
We can sec no objection to planting
the crops together. In fact, this plan
has many manifest advantages Through
the use of velvet beans in corn, it is
possible TO obtain n combination croE
equivalent i'm yield in many instances
to twenty-five to thirty-five bushels OF
corn We are now producing in Georgia
! about sixteen bushels of corn per acre
/ We can thus add corn equivalent tc
/ the acreage devoted to this crop in Geor'
| gia through the use of velvet beans OF
| ten to fifteen bushels. In other words
we can virtually double our corn crop
| If we utilize velvet beans properly dur
| ing the year 1918, we can certainly
| without increasing the yield of corr
! over the production of 1917 produce the
/ equivalent Of a corn crop in Georgia
| alone of 150.OOO,00 bushels Surely, M
one owning land will neglect this op