Soybeans
T HE soybean 
is one 
of the 
most important 
forage 
crops 
grown
in Alabama. Soybeans are valuable for hay, grazing, and soil
improvement. It is the purpose of this leaflet to give some practi-
cal suggestions regarding varieties, uses, production, and harvest-
ing of soybeans.
VARIETIES
Yields of hay and seed obtained in variety tests in different
sections of the State are given in Table 1.
For Hay.-Based on the results reported in Table 1, the fol-
lowing varieties are recommended for hay: Otootan, Laredo,
Mathews, and Easy Cook. Plants of these varieties have fine
stems and make hay of excellent quality. Otootan made one of
the largest average yields of hay of all of the varieties tested.
This is one of the most dependable varieties for hay production
in all parts of the State, but the yield of seed was small except on
Sand Mountain. The Laredo and Easy Cook have produced some-
what smaller yields of hay than has the Otootan, but they have
produced large yields of seed. On soil of better than average
fertility the Easy Cook and Laredo are excellent varieties, but on
poor soil the Otootan is preferable. The Mathews has produced
well in North and Central Alabama, but it has not yielded so well
in South Alabama.
Other varieties such as Tokio, Tarheel Black, Biloxi, Tanloxi,
Mamloxi, and Mammoth Yellow have made large yields, but they
have coarse stems and produced hay of poor quality. These va-
rieties also shatter the seed very easily and are thus difficult to
harvest for seed. These varieties are inferior to the ones listed
above for use in this State.
For Human Food.-The Easy Cook is an edible variety. The
seed are light colored and may be substituted for beans or peas in
the diet. This variety has been one of the leading varieties in
seed production.
For Grazing.-Varieties of soybeans for grazing should be
selected on the basis of forage rather than seed production. The
value of soybeans for grazing is shown by the fact that 1 pound,
dry weight, of leaves has almost as much feeding value as a
pound of wheat bran. Because of the high feeding value of the
leaves and stems, those varieties which produce large yields of
hay are also suitable for grazing. The Otootan is probably the
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
OF THE
ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
M. J. FUNCHESS, Director
AUBURN
LEAFLET No. 2 (Revised 1935 and 1937) JULY 1934
TABLE 1.-Yields of Hay and Seed and Size of Stems of Varieties of Soybeans Tested at Different Places in Alabama.
Three-year average yields 1933-1935
Variety
Tanloxi
Biloxi
Otootan
Easy Cook
Tokio
Mamloxi
Tarheel Black
Mathews
Mammoth Yellow
Laredo
Chiquita
Dixie
Hay (pounds per acre)
North Alabama
Valley 
Sand
land
1  
Moun-
tain
4,463 3,980
4,248 3,949
4,245 3,283
3,741 2,879
3,814 4,013
3,990 3,366
3,642 3,612
3,196 4,124
3,802 2,981
3,540 2,813
2,934 2,967
1,795 2,115
Middle
Ala-
bama
2
4,345
4,076
4,252
4,164
3,836
3,287
3,790
3,774
3,572
3,647
3,468
1,600
South
Ala-
bama
4,886
3,934
3,263
1,936
1,990
3,615
2,187
2,530
2,632
2,929
2,393
841
Aver-
age all
tests
3
4,404
4,087
3,970
3,860
3,591
3,546
3,493
3,481
3,419
3,395
3,090
1,621
Seed (bushels per acre)
North Alabama
Middle South
Valley S and 
Ala- Ala-
landy Moun- 
bama' bama
tain
9.9 19.4 10.3 9.4
9.5 21.1 9.2 5.3
6.3 11.8 6.2 2.2
12.0 13.4 14.2 8.3
13.5 26.4 15.2 8.4
12.4 19.6 12.2 
10.2
11.8 23.8 13.7 8.4
12.6 24.0 13.7 7.2
11.1 18.9 13.3 8.9
13.0 16.9 14.4 9.9
9.8 14.7 16.2 8.9
6.7 11.2 8.2 2.6
1Average of tests at Alexandria and Belle MVina.
2Average of tests at Auburn, Lafayette, and Prattville.
'Average of tests at Crossville, Belle Mina, Alexandria, Auburn, Lafayette, Prattville, and Brewton.
Aver-
age all
tests'
11.3
10.2
6.4
12.6
15.3
13.0
13.9
13.9
12..8
13.7
13.1
7.4
Size of stem
Coarse
Very coarse
Fine
Medium
Very coarse
Coarse
Coarse
Fine
Coarse
Fine
Fine
Coarse
best variety for grazing. The Laredo, Biloxi, Tokio, and Mam-
moth Yellow are also suitable for grazing.
For Soil Improvement.-Most of the soybeans grown for soil
improvement are interplanted with corn. Otootan, Laredo, and
Biloxi are good varieties for this purpose. Otootan and Biloxi
make larger yields of material to be turned under than does the
Laredo variety. Laredo usually makes larger yields of seed than
either Otootan or Biloxi.
For Bird Feed.-Laredo and Otootan soybeans are well
adapted for use as feed for doves and quail. Seeds of these va-
rieties are small and remain sound in the field during the greater
portion of the winter.
CULTURE
Land Preparation.-Land should be broken and well pulver-
ized for soybeans. On light sandy soils plowing is sufficient, but
on heavy soils plowing and harrowing are necessary.
Planting.-Soybeans should be planted in rows about two and
one-half feet apart so that they may be cultivated to control
weeds and grass. This crop is not adapted to broadcast planting
except on rich land.
Rate and Time of Seeding.-Soybeans which are to be cut for
hay should be planted thick enough to produce fine stems. Small-
seeded varieties like Otootan and Laredo should be planted at the
rate of 2 pecks per acre. Large-seeded varieties such as Biloxi
and Mammoth Yellow should be seeded at the rate of 4 pecks
per acre. Soybeans 'should be planted at about the same time as
cotton. Results of time of planting experiments at Auburn show
that the largest yields were obtained from plantings made in
April and early May; soybeans planted after the middle of May
usually made small yields.
Inoculation.-On most Alabama soils inoculation is not neces-
sary. Where inoculation is needed the plants are usually yellow
in color and lacking in vigor. When soybeans are planted on land
which has not grown this crop before, it is a safe practice to in-
oculate the seed. Soybeans may be inoculated by drilling, with
the seed, soil from a field which has grown one or more satisfac-
tory crops of soybeans. If one of the various commercial cultures
is used it is advisable to use inoculated soil also.
Fertilization.-Soybeans should be fertilized at planting with
300 to 600 pounds of basic slag or with 200 to 400 pounds of sup-
erphosphate per acre. Experimental results have shown that this
crop responds well to both phosphate and lime. Basic slag con-
tains both of these materials and has increased the yields of soy-
beans more than has superphosphate. The limited experimental
results available indicate that there is little, if any, need for pot-
ash in soybean fertilizers on most Alabama soils.
Cultivation.-Soybeans should be given enough cultivation to
control weeds and grass; usually two or three plowings are need-
ed. If the crop is to be cut for hay, cultivation should be done in
such a manner as to leave the land smooth.
HARVESTING
For Hay.-Soybeans should be cut for hay when the seed
pods are from one third to one 
half filled and before the leaves
begin to shed. If cut much earlier than this, the yield of hay will
be reduced, and if cut much later, there will be a loss of leaves
and an increase in the percentage of woody stems, resulting in a
hay of poor quality. Soybean hay should be allowed to lie in the
swath until wilted and should then be raked into windrows and
left until it is dry enough to be stored in the barn. Where small
amounts of hay are to be cured, it is sometimes stacked on racks
soon after it is cut and allowed to remain until dry enough to
store. If the hay is cured in the swath, a large percentage of the
leaves will be lost.
Grazing.-Soybeans may be grazed at any stage of growth.
The maximum amount of grazing will be obtained if animals are
turned on when the crop is at the stage to cut for hay. In grazing
experiments with hogs at the Wiregrass Substation at Headland,
Otootan soybeans have furnished grazing from July 1 until pea-
nuts were ready for grazing in September. In this test the soy-
beans were about knee high when grazing began.
For Seed.-Varieties of soybeans which shatter seed badly
should be cut when the pods are turning. If they are left until
the pods are brown a large percentage of the seed will shatter.
After the vines are cut they should be dried in windrows or on
hay racks until they are dry enough to thresh.
Soybeans may be threshed with a grain thresher if the speed
of the cylinder is reduced, without reducing the speed of the fan,
and if the concaves are removed to prevent splitting the seed, If
no threshing machinery is available, or if only a small amount of
seed is to be threshed, the seed may be beaten out with sticks.
Varieties which do not shatter badly, such as Otootan, are some-
times left in the field until all of the leaves are shed and the seed
is dry enough to thresh before being harvested. In Alabama a
large percentage of the Otootan seed harvested is from soybeans
interplanted with corn. The vines are either pulled up or cut with
hoes after all leaves are shed and are beaten over the edge of a
wagon bed to get out as much of the seed as possible, after which
the plants are dropped on the land. This method requires no ex-
pensive machinery and leaves the vines, in the field for the im-
provement of the soil. Threshed soybean seed should be dried
thoroughly before being stored, otherwise the seed may heat
and spoil.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY AND SOILS
D. G. STURK;, Associate Agronomist