THE SOYA BEAN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1239, 22 September 1911, Page 8

THE SOYA BEAN.

The 'Agricultural Department ■ secured a. small quantity of Soya, bean seeds some time ago, but it was received somoirhat lato in the season. The experience gained, however, says Mr. E. Clifton, in the Journal of tho Department of Agriculture, encourages further trials, and for that purpose a supply has been obtained for tho coming season. Small quantities can be furnished to a limited number of applicants, for experimental plots. The • cultivation should* be similar to that extended to French beans. Later, when tho bean may be used for farm purposes, tho cultivation of the field pea ninj" bo adopted.' As the germination of the imported benns may be disappointincr, it is recommended that they should bo steeped in warm water to encourage growth. This is' a special reason why experimenters should endeavour to secure seed for succeeding experiments.

Tho Soya bean is being produced in Japan and Mongolia in enormous quantities." It is in general use for human consumption in that part of the East. Its export is one of the most important of those countries. Europe consumes the whole for tho extraction of oil; the mass remninin? after the extraction of the oil meets ' with extending demand as stockfood.

At Tauranga seed sown on December 17 was harvested in May. The- plants were then from 2ft. to 2ft. Kin.' high. Some yielded from thirty to eighty pods, arid p.mon-jst them were some that yielded a hundred. The general yield of beans ivas estimated at 9601b. per acre. On a part whore the. land was rich the. yield was estimated to be 11501b. per acre. There is overy expectation that the crop would have been far heavier if the seed had been available for sowing in October.

The Soya bean is a plant that should at least receive attention of those who realise that tho plants of the farm .of other countries may bo useful additions to. our own. Tho modern developments of agriculture embrace now plants us. well as the later improvements in methods of tillage.