Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-03-14
POSSIBILITIES 0F .
 THE VELVET BEAN.
Offers Great Opportur ity For Soil im- provement and Good Fall
 Pasturage.
By h. w. Osborn, Arkansas Experl-
 ment Station. .t. 8s

The acreage of velvet beans should be greatly increased. in at least tn. southern half of Arkansas. No crop affords greater possibilities for eco nomical soil improvement, and for fall pasturage. Velvet beans do not make good hay crop because the entangled growth of the vine renders the utilization Of the vine for hay Or silage almost impossible. The vine of the velvet bean plant makes . rapid growth especially in hot weath. CT. After frost in fail the leaves still cling to the vines and may be pas- tured. and the seed pods picked at the same time. :.
 The Best Varieties. 2s
 A few years ago only one variety of velvet beans was grown, and this was considered too late in time of maturity to be grown successfully eX- cept along the southern torder of the cotton belt. A systematic search for early maturing varieties has gradual. ly shifted the northern range of adap- tation of the velvet bean until at the present time certain strains of the ordinary speckled variety will mature seed in the northern most part of the state. The most important va- rieties now known are the early speckled, Florida, Georgia, Osceola, Yokohama. Chinese and Lyon. It is generally the case that varieties which mature quickest are usually those that make the smallest growth of vine. The Yokohama variety, which is one of the earliest in time of maturity, makes very small growth of vine and is a shy yielder of seed, while Chinese, one of the latest has made the heaviest growth. ;,
 The best varieties for Arkansas. are the Early Speckled and the re- gently introduced Osceola. The seeds of the Early Speckled are roundish In shape and mottled.t} The seeds Of the Osceola are somewhat larger and rather flattish, and mottled. It is quite possible that the Chinese variety will matura in southern most counties of the state.
 Time of Planting. <
 Tn this state velvet beans had best be planted as early in spring as plant ing is safe. Velvet heans are very sensitive to cold. If corn is planted several weeks in advance of the beans, the corn will reach maturity before the bean vines interfere with it's development. It is important therefore, that the corn be planted as early as is safe and the velvet beans later. When the corn and beans are planted at the same. time, especially if such planting is delayed in spring; there is big chance that the vines will so entangle the corn plants that the yield of grain will be greatly re- duced. :.
 Method of Pianting.
 In growing velvet beans it is quite important that the crop shall be planted with a supporting crop of corn or sorghum. Ccrn is the crop almost entirely used, as it has been found by actual experience that the beans interfere very little with the yield of corn. s'"'
 Different methods Of planting vel- vet beans in corn are used by differ ent farmers. Some plant the beans and corn in the same row and at tho same time; some plant beans and corn in alternate rows at the same time; some plant two rows of corn to one of beans; and others plant the beans after the corn had come up l and had been cultivated. Planting the corn and beans in alternate rows seems most popular, t;.probably be cause this practice lessons ,competi- tion for moisture and plant food.