Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-06-11
HAVE YOU PLANTED
SOY BEANS WITH
YOUR CORN?
If Not, Be Sure to Plant a Crop
of Them Before Mid
-sz!sa- Summer.

Clemson College.-The farmers OF
the southeastern states have not yet
come to appreciate the value of soy
beans, as soil improver, as food
for man, or as feed for animals, says
Prof. Gilbeart H. Ceilings, of the
Agronomy Division. The soybean is
one of the most promising legumes of
the South, and surely the South needs
to grow leeumes more than any other
group of plants. In order that the
southern farmer may secure larger
and more profitable yields, the nitro
gen and the organic matter OF the
soil must be built up. This can be
done profitably only through the use
of legumes in our rotations.
The soybean, sometimes called the
Sofa bean, soya bean, or stock pea,
was introduced into this country from
Japan during the latter part of the
twentieth century. Altho it is not a
native, the soil and climatic conditions
of the southeastern states are ideal
for its development. 1t is an annual
plant of upright growth, producing
large yields of both hay and grain.
At the present time soybeans are
more profitable to the average farmer
than peanuts, and when used to turn
under are equal pound per pound OF
organic matter and nitrogen to COW.
peas, vetch, and other legumes. They
are better yielders than cowpeas
when planted in rows and cultivated.
They grow earlier in the spring and
later in the fall and are more resist
ant to drought, heat, and frost than
cowpeas.
As grazing crop for hogs soybeans
are among the best. AS hay cron.
altho somewhat coarse, they are mucn
relished by livestock. The feeding
value Of the hay compares very fay
orably with alfalfa hay. rs a green
manuring crop they add both organic
matter and nitrogen to the soil. A
test conducted by the Connecticut
Agricultural Experiment Station
found that from 100 to 135 pounds of
nitrogen was returned to the soil each
year when the crop was used for this
purpose.
There is an ever increasing demand
for the seed. which are now being
used for large variety of purposes.
One of the principal demands comes
from the oil mills. The soybean seed
are very rich in oil, one bushel yield,
ing on an average one gallon OF Oil
when pressed. For these reasons the
acreage planted to soybeans each
year is steadily increasing and should
continue TO increase for some consid'
erable time to come.
The preparation OF the seed bed
is the same as the preparation
Of the seed bed fer cotton. How
ever. a thorough preparation must be
emphasized. for by giving the plants
a good start long step has been
made toward the successful produc'
ton Of The crop. The plant reacts
readily to fertilizers. especially to the
application Of phosphate fertilizers.
Some potassium can be applied profit
ably in the Coastal Plain. but nitro
gen need not be applied either in the
Piedmont Plateau or the Coastal!
Plain.
Soybeans should always be planted
in rows. whether they are grown for
seed or for hay. The rows should be
80 to 50 inches apart. depending upon
the fertility of the land and the var
iety grown. The seed should be
planted just as cotton OF corn. An
ordinary corn planter can be used
very successfully for this purpose
About 25 to 35 pounds of medium size
seed should be planted per ace. In
planting. however, the seed should not
be planted deeper than two inches and
under normal conditions not deeper
than one and one-half inches.
Soybeans may he planted any time
from early spring until midsummer.
For a grain crop they should be
planted early, but for hay, pasture
green-manure, or soiling crop they
may be planted as late as August lst.
Cultivation should begin as soon as
the young seed are above the ground.
One deep cultivation is advised. but
after that the civilizations should be
shallow. Level cultivation is recon.
mended, because harvesting is thus
greatly aided.
About 10 to 80 bushels Of grain and
1 to 6 tons of hay will be produced
per acre, depending upon the variety
of bean, the climatic conditions. the
fertility of the soil. and the cultiva-
ton received The vines are cut with
a mower or reaper. and shocked in the
field to dry. The curing is similar to
the curing Of cowpea hay. The beans
may be thrashed out with an ordin-
ary thrashing machine. or they may
be thrashed from the stalk by special
ly prepared harvesters.
The choice of a variety must be
mede by the farmer himself. The
South Carolina Agricultural Expert