Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1832-10-04
Flom he Ba1imore imcrieaH.


GGNrleHE<-A correspondent requests, on be
half of the growers Of COW peas, some information
relative to the proper time for ploughns them in,
As green erop It being general characteristic Of
annual plants not To increase in bulk after frucli
cation, and the greatest possible amount of vegeIa-
Bic matter being the object of those who plant
peas for manure; the period for turning them in is,
in my opinion, when tue pods arc generally well
filed, and the earliest beginning TO dry. This
will be the case, in ordinary seasons, about the mid
die or latter end of August.
By reference to memoranda find that my peas
were in the luXulant state described IN formal
communication, upon the 10th of August 1891. It
is of course desirable 10 turn ln as early the
growth of the vines will admit that the process Of
decomposition may be sufficiently advanced to ald
the grain IN the autumn and through the winter.
The present disastrous year has disappointed my
hopes IN reference to the extensive experiment with
COW peas promoted IN this vicinity. A cold spring
protractcd nearly SIX weeks beyond the average pc
Rod of vegetation, and dry and chilly summer so
retarded the growth OF the pea, on some farms that
propricors on the point OF abandoning II IN
disgust as though the total failure OF the crop
in several parts of this State and Pennsylvania,
would not have furnished equally plausible ar
sument agaps, the adaptation &c our climate Of that
universal staple OF the country.-i should esteem
the precipitatc abandonment of this eXnberant vine
worthy 10 be noted among the calamties of the
year, and, in the hope to prevent 1t, beg leave
to ntrudc among griycr topics very few re
marks.
| About 300 yards due north of the Washington
| Monument, there is now growing small patch OF
coz peas planted by DIR. Howard. These are up
on NOR iaad about half the size OF mine last year
upon a w0rn-oHt MtI which had proved unable tc
bring Rye ON lay Of Backwheat yet these are,
in my opinion, equal to AN average crop OF clover
These were, upon the 10th of July, scarce six
inches in height mine were, at the same time last
wear. between 3 and i feet high and had brancheI
out IN proportion
These were not in flower on the 18th Of the pre-
sent month mine were, last year, loaded with foil
pods month earlier. Hence infer that, the COW
pea has not cqualIed expectation, the disappont
ment must be referred To The yeason, which no far
mcr would pronounce ordinary one
Having sold the farm which made my cxpe-
riment am not able to speak with certainty OF
the result in the wheat crop which planted ON the
peas A respected and intelligent friend, whose
land is adjacent, informed me, previously to the
harvest, that the Pea field promised as well as any
grain on the place and one of the present propre-
| tors rCenl Leakln) stated that the entire crop was
highly satisfactory though he could not give the
particular product ofthe different fields. As much OF
the land was in very hig order should 1t prove that
| the pea field sustained a fair comparison with the
rest the whole argument mig be comprised IN that
single fact can myself testify to lis very flourish
ing appearance, til the cold Saturday and Sunday
in the latter end of March, when SO much gram
persisted throughout the country.
Very respectfully, your ob't servt.
| WILLIAM GEO READ.