History of Natto and Its Relatives (1405-2012 - SoyInfo Center

Germany cultivates soybeans in Romania and Bulgaria
in preparation for the war, France and the cultivation of
soybeans.
1. What is soja? 2. History of the propagation of soja:
Introduction of the soybean into France and Europe, the
soybean is cultivated in central Europe, in Austria, in 1875,
in France the soybean is the object of numerous trials from
1876 to 1881, its cultivation worldwide, the study and
acclimatization of soya become generalized.
3. Botanical characters of the soybean: And the varieties
of soybeans. 4. Chinese varieties: The soybean in China, the
production of soya in China in 1916 and 1917, production
of soya in the Far East during the year 1928, exportation of
soya from the Far East to Europe.
5. Japanese varieties: The soybean in Japan, varieties
of soya from Indochina and from other Asian countries. 6.
The soybean in America: American varieties, cultivation
of soybeans in Ohio, selection of soya using pure lines in
Connecticut.
7. The soybean in Europe: Italy, Russia, France,
French climatic zones for the cultivation of Soja hispida,
the Atlantic zone, the continental zone, the Mediterranean
zone and climate, can the soybean be cultivated in all the
French climates including those in the north, northeast,
and northwest, speedy production of soybeans in view of
agricultural production and of the creation of early varieties
for the regions in north and northeast France.
8. Instruction for growing soja in France. 9. Soja
in Manchuria. 10. Soja seeds. 11. Selection of soja. 12.
Varieties of soja. 13. Different ways of planting soya seeds.
14. Soy yield. 15. Nitrogen fi xation in soya seeds. 16. Tilling
and preparing the earth. 17. Soja fodder. 18. Soja, striking
and improving. 19. Harvesting soja grain. 20. Soja oil. 21.
Soja oil-cake for animal feeding. 22. Vegetable milk, soja
milk and industrial casein.
23. Soja in human food: Soy fl our and its applications,
soy bread with wheat, nutritional composition of soja
compared to dry legumes, soy viewed as a dry legume
to replace meat, comparative production of nutritive
elements among the various legumes used for human food,
comparative value in calories of the usual foods and of soja,
preparation of soy soups and meals in compressed tubes,
what varieties of soy can serve the special needs of human
nutrition, Sojenta, potatoes stuffed with soy, force meat balls
(boulettes) of rice and soy, bread of rice and soy, pudding
of soy and rice, soy sprouts and their food value, fresh soy
sprouts in a salad, soy sprouts with vegetables, soy preserves
and confections, soy chocolate, soy coffee, soybeans
conserved in containers, soy with smoked fi sh, soup with
soy vegetable meat, soymilk soup, omelet with smoked soy
vegetable ham, green soy sprouts, soy cake, soy force-meat
fritters.
24. The utilization of soja in the Far East: Vegetable
cheese (tofu), soy-based condiments, Japanese natto (2
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 126
types), Japanese miso, Chinese miso, soy sauce (soyou or
schoziou), making soy sauce in Kwantung, China, making
soy sauce in Japan, koji or molded rice.
25. The culture of soja in North Africa (Rouest has
varieties that would grow and yield well in the French
colonies of Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco). 26. Opinions of
some authors on soja. Conclusions. Bibliography on soja.
A small photo on the “Dedication” page shows Léon
Rouest (born in Paris on 11 Nov. 1872).
Concerning soy in Russia (USSR) (p. 52-53): In Russia,
the soybean has been known for quite a long time, specially
in the Ukraine and Bessarabia, but it was never grown over
a large area, and was given a back seat (low priority) in
agriculture until after the revolution of 1917. It was not until
1926-27 that cultural trials were conducted on farms in the
state of Northern Caucasus (d’Etat du Caucase du Nord).
In the regions of Rostov-on-Don (Rostow-sur-Don; Rostovna-Donu),
Eisk (near Krasnodar), Stavropol, Prim-Koumsk,
Yessentuki / Essentuki in the Kuban and Kuban River area
of the North Caucasus region of southern Russia, the yields
were 11 to 16 quintals.
In 1927 there were 600 ha planted to soybeans,
increasing to 17,000 in 1928, in the kolkhoz (collective)
farms or the sovkhoz (state owned) farms.
In 1929-1930 and until 1932-1933 there were very
laudable / praiseworthy efforts to propagate soybeans in
favorable regions, especially in the North Caucasus, but the
soils of this region, although they are very rich and well
suited to soybeans are also very rich in bad weeds and the
results obtained up to the present do not seem favorable. As
I said earlier, the soybean is a technical plant of the intensive
type which is well suited to the soil and climate of Russia,
but is much less suited to the indolent character of peoples
who are accustomed to cultivating only small areas. In spite
of the remarkable efforts at mechanization, the peasants who
submit to collectivization and who do not yet understand it
very well, the cultivation of soybeans does not assume the
importance hoped for. Address: France.
241. Product Name: Natto.
Manufacturer’s Name: Yoneuchi Natto Seizo-sho
(Yoneuchi Natto Mfg. Co.). Renamed Yonai Natto Seizo-sho
by 1940.
Manufacturer’s Address: 3480 E. 4th St., Los Angeles,
California. Phone: ANgelus 14457.
Date of Introduction: 1937. January.
New Product–Documentation: The Japanese American
Directory. 1937. p. 320. In Japanese: Natto Seizô-sho
(Yoneuchi). In English: “Natto (Yoneuchi), 3480 E. 4th St.”
Phone: AN. 14457.
Note: This is the 3rd earliest known commercial natto
made in the United States.
Also in 1938, p. 348. The company name is written
only in Japanese (the same as in 1937), not in English. Also