The Era-leader., 1918-06-27
SOY BEANS REQUIRE
GOOD SEED BED
CROP FAILURES MAY BE CHARG.
ED TO POOR SEED or I'M
PROPER PLANTING.
IN0CULATE THE SEE
Soy Beans May Be Grown as Money
Crop or May Be Cut
For Hay.

The soy bean has not been grown
in Louisiana to the extent that its mcr-
it's as an agricultural plant would JUS
tify, 1t is fairly well known to all,
and the fact that so many have tried
it and failed or else only halfway
succeeded in growing it successfully
probably accounts for its lack OF popu-
larity as a farm crop.
Getting stand Of the beans has
been the greatest obstacle to success
in growing the soy beam says w. r.
Perkins, Director Of Extension, Louis
lana State University. "The failure
to secure stand can probably be at
tributed to one or two things, poor
seed or improper planting. The first
can easily be avoided by purchasing
seed that have been tested for ger
mination. The second trouble is gen.
orally due to poorly prepared seed bed
or planting too deep. It is a crop that
requires better preparation of the soil
and more care in the planting than
the average farmer IS in the habit OF
giving to his farm crops. The soil
should be we'll pulyerized, and there
should be abundance Of moisture pres
ent without being too wet when the
planting is done. One can well afford
to wait for such condition in the soil
because the planting season is long
running from April IS to July 1 or
later. The seed should be covered not
less than one inch, nor more than one
and one-half inches deep. This is im-
portant.
"The question arises as to what tho
crop is good for First, it could be
considered money crop The seed
are very similar in composition to COT
ton seed, weigh about twice as mucl
to the bushel, and are sought after by
the oil mills for the oil they contain
and the feed cake that is obtained
after the oil is forced out They
should bring about twice as much per
bushel as cotton seed or about the
same per ton. A crop on medium grade
land should produce about 20 bushels
per acre. The talks after threshing
make a good grade of roughage for
cattle.
"There are some difficulties encoun-
tered in harvesting the soy bean
crop: There is generally a lack Of
machinery for harvesting and thresil-
ing and considerable loss from the
popping of the seed pods in the field.
While it is splendid crop for the
purpose just mentioned we believe
that the really important place of tho
soy bean in Louisiana is for the max.
Ing of hay.
"The hill and cut over pine sections
Of the state should use soy beans as
a substitute for alfalfa which will not
succeed in these sections. The soy
bean will make hay fully as palatabIe
and nutritious as alfalfa. 1t comes to
maturity about the first Of September
when the weather is usually good for
the harvesting of hay. 1t can be saved
much better and more economically
than cOWpeas; it will make so per
cent more hay on the same area and
grade Of land than cowpeas, and, we
believe, better hay. Cultivation for
hay is practically the same as for
grain. Plant in drills two and one
half to three and one-half feet apart
SO that the plants will not lap in the
row. Have a plant every two or three
inches in drill and harvest when the
seed pods are full, but before the TO-
liage begins to show signs Of ripen-
ing. Cut with moving machine and
throw into narrow tall cscks while still
green, allow to stand thus four to sey-
en- days and then put in barn or stack.
"All kinds Of stock are very fond Of
it. Try it as hay plant and be con.
vinced. Use the Mammoth Yellow or
Biloxi varieties. 1noculate the seed
and plant about one-half bushel to the
| acre."