Soybeans 29
ml  Q me,n,t_st·agtions have developt numerous strains from the intro-
lan   duced ‘var,iet~ies. Soybean varieties differ greatly in length of
US  ; time required to mature seed, character of the plant, and size,
Of  S shape andtiiolor of the seed. The earliest varieties ripen where-
E  ever? eorirwill ripen while some of the latest require 150 to
l'C‘   200‘=days to mature. Between these extremes all gradations ‘
3cr. ji  are found. The plants of most sorts grow erect and have stout
1`C‘   stems ; some, however, have weak stems and tangle badly. Witli -
aw-  E a few varieties the stems are more or less twining. The seeds
hat `  vary in shape from; almost round to quite fiat. A pound of
lim   the largest seeded sorts, l\Iammoth for example, contains about .
Olll  Q 2,000 to 2,500 seeds, while a pound of seed of Peking, a small
V€ll _,  seeded sort, contains 6,000 to 6,500 seeds. Straw yellow is the
mg   most common color of ithe seed-coats, but many sorts have black '
ted   or brown seed coats and various shades of green are COHIHIOU.
ilcr  * A few have bicolored seed coats. The germ is green in all
Ball  ’ green seeded varieties, and yellow in yellow seeded sorts. Black ’
Pm   Seeds may have either a green or yellow germ. `
llll$‘   Generally the later maturing varieties grow more vigorously
mm :  than the early ones, produce larger plants and, consequently, i
ll(‘l'  { give larger yields, especially of' forage. The difference is par- .
llllg   tienlarly strikitig on thin land. Wl1ei·e the entire growing
. ·.  season can be devoted to the erop, varieties should be chosen
OPS- e that will occupy most of the growing season. For Kentucky a
bill  l` Variety for main crop should ripen its seed by October 1. This
telic   Permits planting wheat or rye after the beans have been har- A
>?*tl‘   rested. A variety ripening at this time is also at the proper
Gmc  { stage for hogging down when the standard varieties of corn
gor  I ripen so that the two crops can be hogged down together.
 K Where soybeans are grown for hay the later varieties may be
‘  used but where late planting is necessary, early maturing sorts
 _. should be selected.
wed   The number of days required for any variety of soybeans
~lll`C·   to ripen seed depends to a considerable extent upon date of
lllc   lllllllllllg. for late planted beans inature in a sliorter time than
G el   <`l`1l‘ly planted_ For example, llaberlaudt. planted Nay 1 will
YOU`   llelléllly ripen only about a week earlier than when planted ·liH1C