Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-08
Hay Crons for the South

In Georgia and several other of The
southeastern states. The drouth %
last summer was, of course, tho
cause. This statement falls 10 eX
pain, however, why we never have
a surplus OF Ray in a section where
so manS feed crops suitsd to >',is
;, purrost can be provided. The tact
is we Go not emphasize hay produc
tic as we should. il is the last CROP
to be planted on the farm and, as q
rule, it is put on the poorest lane
and given the least attention an(
fertilization of anything the average
farmer undertakes to grow. This is
mistaken policy. and one we must
correct if we are to make any very
material progress in dairying and
live stock farming. This matter has
been considered fsuch grave i'm
portance that Professor H. c. Apple
ton was assigned to make a study OF
hay crops suited to the southeast
The findings and recommendations
follow. They show what to plant and
the results we may anticipate.
Cowpeas, sorghum, peanut vines
and native grasses make up a large
part of the hay that is grown in
Georgia. These crops are so well
known that nothing need be said
concerning them. In the paragraphs
that follow, brief discussions are
given of hay crops that are not so
) we'll known as those mentioned
above, but which may. under certain
conditions, be superior to them.
Soy beans are comparatively
new crop in Georgia.; in some sec
tions, they are as yet little known.
Those who now grow soy beans in
preference to cowpeas do so because
the soy bean yields larger crops of
both hay and grain than the cowpea
Tests at the Georgia State College of
Agriculture show that soy beans
yield SO per cent more hay and rs
per cent more grain than cowpeas.
The soy bean is not very eXacting
In regard to soils. Land that pro.
duces a fair to good yield of the COM
mon crops will return a satisfactory
yield of soy beans. The most de-
sirable soil for soy beans is a fertile
clay loan, especially one that is not
inclined to crust badly after rains.
Good, sandy loan soils, such as are
found in south Georgia, produce good
crops of soy beans. Bottom lands
will usually produce the greatest
yield of hay. Soy beans will grow
on land that is too wet for cowpeas.
They are more drouth resistant. Soy
beans are an excellent crop with
which to follow the small grains.
Soy beans should generally be
planted in rows two and one-ha1f to
three feet wide, and the seed dropped
two to four inches apart in the row.
They should not be covered to u
greater depth than would be consid-
cred safe for cotton. Almost any
combination planter may be used for
planting soy beans. They may be
planted at any time from early cot
ton planting season to July. Rates
of planting for the different varieties
should be as follows: Laredo, six
to eight pounds per acre O-too-tan,
eight to ten pounds Mammoth Vel
low, thirty to thirty-five, and Biloxi,
thirty to thirty-lfve. Soy beans
should be cultivated enough to keep
down weeds. The same practices
used in harvesting and curing cow
pea hay may be used for soy bean
hay. 1t will be found that soy beans
can be made into hay with less trou.
BILE than cowpeas.
Two varieties are especially recon-
mended for hay. They are O-too-tan
and Laredo. Mammoth Yellow and
Biloxi may he added to the list, if
coarseness is not too much of an
objection. The Mammoth Yellow
does not ordinarily make as good
yields of hay as the other varieties.
Laredo and Mammoth are ready
for haying in early September. The
O-too-tan and Biloxi are ready to
cut for hay in October. If a large
acreage is to be put in, it will be
we'll to use two varieties maturing
at different times so that the work
of haying may be stretched out over
a longer period of time.
In all sections of the country
where it can be grown, alfalfa is
considered the primary hay crop.
In recent years, it has been found
that it may be grown successfully
4 in the Piedmont and Limestone val.
! ley sections of Georgia.
Alfalfa is a perennial plant. One
seeding being sufficient for four or
Live years. Inr69 TO i've cuttings
Of from 1900 to 1000 pounds each
may be obtained each year. The an
nual yield is rarely below two and
one-half tons per acre, and may, un.
der exceptional conditions, amount
to five tons.
AS market hay, alfalfa is well
and favorably known on all hay
markets. Alfalfa hay will ordinar.
lily bring a higher price per ton than
any hay that may be grown in the
south. Little trouble should be ex-
perienced in selling it at a good
price. There is no reason why the
production of alfalfa hay should not
become a profitable enterprise on
many Georgia farms.
Land that is to be sown to alfalfa
should be enriched by applying sta
BILE manure or by blowing under
leguminous crops. One to two tons
of crushed limestone and six to sew
en- hundred pounds of acid phos-
| phate per acre should be applied. Do