THE soya bean has been described as unquestionably the most important food plant in the world. It contains all the elements necessary for a balanced diet. Ground dry, it yields flour from which bread can be made; ground wet and curdled, it forms bean curd which may be substituted for meat; plucked green, it may be used as a vegetable, rich in vitamins; fermented, it yields sauces; pressed, it produces oil for use in cooking. The soya bean also is food for cattle, while the bean cake makes excellent fertilizer.