Sharp County record., 1919-03-28
POSSIBILITIES Of
THE VELVET BEAN
Offers Great Opportunity For Soil Il,
provement and Good Fall
Pasturaqe.
By l. w Osborn, Arkansas Exnsr
ment Station.

The acreage Of velvet beans sho,,
be greatly Increased in at least N.
southern half of Arkansas. No c,o.
affords greater possibilities for An.
nomieal soil improvement, and n,
fall pasturage. Velvet beans do M,
make a good hay crop because ma
entangled growth Of the vine renda,.
the utilization Of the vine for hav 4,
silage almost impossible. The Win.
of the velvet bean plant makes
rapid growth especially in hot weatb
er. After frost in fall the leaves atm
cling to the vines and may be pa,,
tured, and the seed pods picked .,
the same time.
The Best Varieties.
A few years ago only one varistv
of velvet beans was grown, and thl,
was considered too late in time q,
maturity to be grown successfully sy.
cept along the southern torder Of ths
cotton belt. A systematic search 10,
early maturing varieties has gradual
ly shifted the northern range Of adap
tation of the velvet bean until at A.
present time certain strains Of INA
ordinary speckled variety will matura
seed in the northern most part ol
the state. The most important v.
rieties now known are the early
speckled, Florida, Georgia, Osceos
Yokohama, Chinese and Lyon. IT'S
generally the case that varetle,
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 yisldN
Of seed, while Chinese, one Of ths
latest has made the heaviest growth
The best varieties for Arkanss
are the Early Speckled and the la
Gently introduced Osceola The seed
Of the Early Speckled are roundish h
shape and mottled The seeds d
the Osceola are somewhat larger and
rather flattlsh, and mottled II Is quit.
possible that th : Chinese variety will
mature in southern most counties d
the state
Time Of Planting
In this state velvet beans had bst
be planted as early in spring as plant
inanis safe. Velvet heans ore vsr
sensitive to cold. II corn is plantN
several weeks In advance Of tr,|
beans, the corn will reach matunu
before the bean vines interfere Will
its development. It is lmportsrl
therefore, that the corn be planted n
early as Is safe and the velvet bean
, later When the corn and beans at|
; planted at the same time, especla0y
, II such planting is delayed In sprlg
a there is a.Sbig chance that the vlrs|
, will 80 entangle the corn plants tAh|
q the yield Of Grain will be greatly VI
: duced.
' Method OF Planting.
l. In growing velvet beans II 10 QulNl
l. important that the crop shall VI
/ planted with q supporting crop VI
" corn or sorghum. Corn is the uc|
" almost entirely used, as 1t has bseI
% found by actual experience that vi
Q beans Interfere very little with Al|
r yiold OF corn,
Q Different methods OF planting wi
t vet beans in corn are used by dlte|
ent farmers. Somo plant tho bssS|
and corn In the same row and q. IN
a same time; some plant beans ail
n corn In alternate rows at the SAM
o time; some plant two rows OF con
O to one Of beans and others plant tsl
Q beans after the corn had come y
y and had been cultivated Plan'liI
u the corn and beans In alternate row
seems most pogdlar probably
] cause this practice Lessons comp0