Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-29
WHAT TO DO WITH VELVET BEANS

been made in our agriculture in re-
cent years. The velvet bean for many
years was only adapted for cultiva-
ton in Florida on account of the long
season it took in which to mature. In
the past few years, however, varieties
have been developed which will ma
ture in from ninety to one hundred and
twenty days. These varieties are con-
stantly being improved, hence the area
of land on which velvet beans can be
grown has been extended from year to
year until they can now be cultivated
with success not only in the coastal
plans region but throughout the great
err part of the Piedmont area as well.
The velvet bean has, first of all, the
great advantage of being a legume.
Therefore it gathers the nitrogen It
needs chiefly from the air and may be
regarded as a soil enricher, because nj
trogen is the element which is exhaust
ed from our soils most quickly and is
the most costly and difficult to put
back. Moreover, velvet beans are one
of the most important supplemental
crops because they can be grown in as
ISOLATION with corn to the material ad-
vantage of the land owner. In other
words, two crops can virtually be pro-
duced on every acre of land by groY-
ing corn and velvet beans in combina-
ton. These two crops can be grown
together so that the one in a measure
enhances the value of the other with
out lessening the yield in either case.
Velvet beans should therefore he
grown on every acre of land devoted 20
corn, and M this is done the crop will
become increasingly important from
year to year, not only as a means of
building up our southern soils in which
they are chiefly deficient but in produc-
SpU daSira bIa Grain RI feed either
alone or in combination with corn,
thereby giving us the power of produc-
ing in the south the equivalent OF more
than twice our present corn crop. This
is to be brought about in the following
way. The average yield of corn is now
around. Is bushels in most the south
eastern states. In some it may go as
high as IS; in others it may drop be-
low is. Experience has demonstrated
that where proper varieties Of velvet
beans are selected and grown in com
bination with corn, a yield of approx
mately the same amount of beans per
acre may be expected. Velvet beans
are selected and grown in combination
with corn, a yield of approximately
the same amount of beans per acre
may be expected. Velvet beans are SUI
perior to corn in many respects for
feeding purposes because they contain
a larger amount of protein. Corn oy
itself is somewhat low in ash matter
and in protein or musele-building ele-
ments Velvet beans, on the other
hand. help to supply these two def
ciencies, particularly that of protein.
Hence these two crops when grown TO-
getheF supplement ech other adVan-
tageously from an economic and agri-
cultural point of view, as we'll as from
the standpoint of the animal husband
man and the animal which is to be
fed as well. When we feed corn alone
we do not obtain the best results from
it's use. In other words, we waste in
sense a part of the energy it should
provide. When we feed velvet beans
alone we probably no not obtain the high
est return from their use. If we bring
these two crops together in proper rela-
ton, however, and feed in combination
to different classes of stock, we have
enhanced the value of both and we have
saved a great deal of the potential
power which would otherwise have been
lost.
Plant velvet beans, therefore, in every
acre of corn next year. Plant them after
the corn is out Of the ground. Drop
bean alongside each corn stalk or at
least every two or three stalks and COW
er. The beans will develop more slowly
than the corn, but about the time it is
nearing maturity they will begin to
grow vigorously and will climb up the
stalks and spread over the top and grow
and fruit and mature until the late fall
If proper varieties are selected they will
be ripe before frosts occur, and the
beans can then hang on the stalks in
the field until they are thoroughly dried
out to be harvested along with the corn
in one of several ways. First, animals
may be turned in and allowed to gather
both crops. Cattle and hogs will do the
work very we'll OF course, there is con-
siderable waste, but when we consider
the economy with which the animals
may be fattened, the waste probably Off
sets the added labor cost incurred in
harvesting these crops by hand, reduc-
ing them to a desirable form and feed
ing them back as concentrates to the
animals which are confined in lots or
stables.
In all the coastal plains region the
ground is so sandy that animals may be
grazed almost at will any day in the
year, even though violent and continued
rains fall The velvet bean is so hard
that 1t resists changes in weather with
impunity. In other words, it does not
rot and decay, but can be left out
through the winter season and gathered
by animals. In fact, this is one of the
best ways of handling this crop because
when it is harvested and becomes dry
animals find it difficult to masticate the
beans thoroughly. Experience has shown
that when the crop is harvested and put
under cover that one of the best ways
of utilizing it as a food, not only for
mules but for cattle and hogs, is to soak
il for twenty-four hours-depending on
the season of the year. When soaked
for the length of time indicated ii be-
comes soft enough for the animals to
thoroughly masticate and digest ii. This
obviates the necessity of purchasing ex-
pensive machinery for grinding it,
though, of course, where beans are to
be fed to mules, ii is probably best to
grind them and feed in combination with
a proper amount of corn meal. On the
other hand, there is no objection to feed
ing velvet beans alone to dairy cows
beef cattle or hogs. When fed without
corn to hogs the chances are that the
pork will be somewhat dark, and there
may be a tendency on the part of pack
ers to discriminate against such animals,
but If corn is fed in the proper ratio or
is used for finishing off animals fed on
beans, the meat, particularly the fat
will be of fine quality. When red TO
hogs, two-thirds velvet beans and one
third corn will make a very good ra-
tion. The same combination will answer
very well for dairy cows. For beef cat
tie probably a half-and-half combina-
tion is best especially during the lat
ter part of the feeding period. This