The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-12
Points Out That N. C.. Was
Pioneer State In Produc-
ton Of The Crop
GUY A. CALDWELL
General Agricultural Agent
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co.

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co.
Numerous feature articles have
been written about soybeans and
most farmers in Virginia and the
Carolinas are familiar v it'll this crop
in some of it's several forms of USE
fitness,
Although the soybean, a native of
Asia, is one Of the oldest crops
known to man, the crop was long in
finding it's way to America. While
the bean is said to have made it's
bow in this country in 1904, it was
not until the latter part Of the 10Th
Century that it's commercial import
ance began to be suspected. AS
most of US know, North Carolina
was the pioneer state in soybean
production and for some years sup
piled the states to the southwest
with seed for planting. With the
passing of the years and with the
growing Importance Of the crop in
other states, and with the discovery
and selection of varieties better
adapted to local conditions than the
Mammoth Yellow, the principal
variety grown in North Carolina for
a long time for seed purposes, there
has been a decrease in the demand
on North Carolina farmers for seed
for planting. However, the demand
for soybean seed by oil mills has in
creased until this demand has be-
come a factor to be reckoned with
even in cotton growing territory in
Virginia and the Carolinas.
1t seems to me that something is
going to have to be done about the
oil mills demand for beans, by state
experiment stations, agricultural
educators and by the farmers. If
it is decided that the oil mill demand
for beans should be supplied it will
be necessary to convince the grower
that this can be done at a satisfac-
tory money return, for without sat
~isfactory profit the farmer cannot
be expected to lend his enthusiastic
support to this plan.
At the moment, in the interest Of
assured profit, it appears that we
need to be advised of varieties best
adapted to our soil and climatic
conditions, bearing beans preferably
yellow in color an dof heavy oil con-
tent, and reasonably early-mateur-
ing, mountaineering beans.
There are broad acres in this ter
ritory which have been released
from growing cotton and tobacco,
and these acres should be made to
produce a crop. It would seem that
use might be mande of hundreds of
thousands Of these acres by plant
ing to soybeans next season, this
crop to be followed by small grain
next winter.
Because Of the variety of uses to
which the soybean crop can be put,
it would appear that this is the crop
we have been looking for for some
time to occupy idle acres. thus CIV
ing us a supplementary crop.
In harvesting %soybeans, until the
acreage justifies the purchase of a
combine, neighborhood arrange
ments might be made to have some
n buy a combine to serve the
neighborhood on a rental basis. Pre-
sent methods of harvesting beans
in many cases r Inefficient due to
a heavy percentage loss of the beans
produced by varieties that shatter
badly.
Do you have enough hay on your
farm? If not, plant soybeans of a
hay variety.
Do you need a grazing crop? If
SO, plant soybeans.
Do you need a green manure crop?
If so, why not plant s%oybeans?
Do you need a supplementary cash
crop? If so, plant soybeans for sale
as seed and for sale to oil mills now
in the market for beans.
Does the soybean crop with it's
variety Of uses cause you to think
of some way in which you can make
the crop work for you? If so, plant
soybeans.
WHEN COLLEGE BOYS