The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-05-05
VELVET BEANS
The Best and Surest Summer leaume
for South Carolina-Great fer Feed
and Fertility, Says N. e. Win-
ters, Extension Agronomist.

great variety of legumes which may
be grown in South Carolina for feed
pasture, and soil Improvement, velvet
beans probably head the list for the
following reasons:
They make a fairly good growth on
the poorest land in the South.
They make a bigger growth than
almost any other legume.
Because of their growth they take
a large amount of nitrogen from the
air; and when plowed under or pas
tured off and all residue and manure
incorporated with the soil, most of
this nitrogen and large amounts of or
gantic matter are added to the soil.
Every ton of growth may add to the
soil from Is to 80 pounds of expen
sive nitrogen.
They will make more milk and meat
DER acre as a pasture next fall and
winter than anything farmers caa
plant this spring.
Last, but not least, when planted in
corn they help to check that Fodder
puilin' disease" an antiquated and eS-
pensive method of making feed.
Varieties.
Probably the best varieties for
South Carolina are the Early Speckled
or Ninety Day, and the Osceola. The
former natures in about 120 days and
the latter in about $50 days. The Os-
ceola makes larger growth of vine
and foliage and larger pods than the
Early Speckled; but as it needs about
40 days longer period, it is not so well
adapted to the upper part of the state.
The Early Epeckled natures any
where in South Carolina. Livestock
usually eat the Early Speckled more
readily than the Osceola, although
they like both.
Method of Planting.
Velvet beans make more seed and
better pasture if they have trellis to
run on, and corn is the most profit
able trellis. Most velvet bean grow
ers plant them in their corn, in alter
nate rows with the corn, using corn
rows 6 1-2 to feet wide. If the length
of season permits. it is good plan to
plant the beans from 20 to 80 days
after the corn. which permits the
,orn to make more growth before the
beans begin to entwine around 1t, and
results in the corn standing up better
ut harvest time.
Another method adapted to the up
per part of the state especially is to
iay off all rows about four feet apart
and plant every third row to velvet
beans with corn in the two rows be-
tween. This is especially advisable
where the beans are planted at the
same time as the corn. as it takes
longer for the vines to cover the corn
and usually leaves a better opening
between the two corn rows in which
one may walk in gathering the corn.
Amount Of Seed Per Acre.
Farmers are using from one to two
pecks of seed per acre for planting in
corn, planting from IL to "a inches
apart in the drill. If planted alone in
rows, about one bushel of seed per
acre is required, or about six pecks
broadcast
Effect on Corn Crop.
The first year the beans may re-
duce the yield of corn about two bush
els (about the same reduction as pull
ing fodder causes); but the next year
following a crop Of velvet beans the
yield of corn is likely to be increased
about SO per cent, and cotton about rs
percent. On poor soil the increases
are often more than this.
Fertilization and snoculation.
It is usual to fertilize the corn as
you otherwise would and let the velvet
beans use what the corn doesn't get.
Some farmers increase the amount OF
their corn fertilizer for the benefit or
the velvet beans 1t is never neces-
sary, however. to increase the amount
Of ammonia in the fertilizer for vel
vet beans.
Velvet bea rs use the same inocula-
ton as cowoeas, peanuts, and lespe-
deza or Japrn clover, hence inocula-
tion is practi ca7ly never necessary, as
our soils are already inoculated Tor
them.
Velvet Beans-Good Business.
Velvet beans gre the safest end
surest summer legume for South C2To'
lima, and we are not going to be the
PROSPEROUS state that God intended
until every cornfeld in South Carolina
IS wrapped up in velvet beans every
year.
In most of our soils nitrogen is the
limiting element in crop production.
It IS also the most expensive part~of
*he fertilizer that we buy. Nearly
thirty million dollars was spent IN
1920 by the South Carolina farmers
Cor nitrogen; yet it is estimated that
one square mile Of TIE air contains
enough nitrogen to supply the whole
world for fifty years for crop produc-
sion. There are $4,000 tons Of nitro
gen in the air above every acre just
waiting to be pulled down and mace
NV II