Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-02-12
N. c. FARMERS
REAPED LARGE
PROFITS in 81
Federal Report Sbows To-
tai Value Of Seed And
Hay Has Reached New
High Figures.
BY c. A. SHEFFIELD
Assistant Director Agricultural e.
tension Service.

Lespedeza, which only a few years
ago was in the background among le-
gume crops, bids fair to become one
of North Cardinals leading legumes.
The crop in this state has expanded so
rapidly during the past three years that
it is now more than a million dollar
legume.
The December 1881 Federal report
shows that the total seed and hay val
ue of lespedeza in North Carolina for
1887 is $%1,o52,ooo. This is $4,000
more than the combined value of les
pedeza seed and hay production in
1929. The expansion in acreage for
both seed and hay has been greater
than the money value indicates be-
cause prevailing prices for both seed
and hay are much lower for 1881.
Farmers of the state are not alone
in growing lespedeza for soil building,
seed, and hay. There are now seven
other southern states which grow a
sizeable acreage. The combined value
of lespedeza seed and hay crop for the
southern states for 1881 is estimated
to be $4,500,o00.
In acreage planted for seed produe-
ton North Carolina now ranks second
among all states of the south with H.
900 acres, whereas Tennessee has IT,
900 acres. The 1881 expansion in acre.
age as compared with 1929 is 5000
acres or 61.5 per cent; while the ex-
pansion for the south was only 8 per
cent.
As hay crop the state ranks third in
the south with $4,000 acres Of lespe-
deza, an increase of $4,000 acres or
Sc 2-3 per cent more acreage than was
planted in 1929. Five southern states
led North Carolina in 1929, but in
1881 only Tennessee and Mississippi
planted a greater lespedeza hay crop
acreage.
North Carolina in 1881 ranked first
among the seven southern states listed
as growing lespedeza seed with a total
production of $1,000 bushels and an
increase of 1913 per cent over the 1929
production.
Tennessee with a 1881 production
of 100000 tons and Mississippi with
$4,000 tons easily led North Carolina
In total hay production, the total 1881
production for this state being 49,
900 ons or an increase Of 96 per cent
over the 1929 total hay production Of
$4,000 tom.
The total seed crop value for North
Carolina was $268,oO0 as compared
with a Sl66,00O value in 1929. oimi-
iarly the 1881 hay crop value was
$4,000 as compared with a 1923
value of $4,000.
The 1881 seed crop for the southern
states (North Carolina, Kentucky,
tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Ar
kansas and Louisiana) was valued at
$615,000. The southern hay crop is
estimated at ~$3,SS5,000.
There are two significant points in
connection with lespedeza growing in
North Carolina when compared with
other southern states:
O) The yield Of seed per acre has
been higher for the past three years
than of any state, being 1913 per cent
higher In 1929; IA per cent higher in
1880; and 10 per ZEN higher in 1881
when compared with all southern
states.
(2) The North Carolina hay yield
per acre for the past three years wa,
6.4 per cent higher in 1929; 48.1 per,
cent higher than in 1880 and 2l.7
per cent higher in 1881 compared with
all southern states.
These two factors alone should be
encouraging to all North Carolina les
pedeza growers and also to those who
are anticipating the growing Of this
important legume crop which :, now
only beginning its expansion.