Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-02-17
Important to Farmers.
The following is copy of letter received by
a gentleman of this CITY, II relates 10 subject

The following is copy of letter received by
a gentleman of this city. 1t relates to a subject
of great importance To farmers and gardncrs, ana
we have obiained from the gentleman 10 whom
il was addressed permission TO lay it before our
readers, He has already planted some ct thu
peas alluded to, in his garden on Shockoe Hi:
UNITED STATES patent OFFICE,
WAsHrNGroN. March 9th 1854
Sir: Accompanying this circular ! send yo1
for experiment "A small parcel of Oregon Peas.
which, If convenient, you will please 10 give a
fair trial and T successful, reporf to this office
the result iboy were pr cured from Mr.. a. A.
l,ozell. Of Ia Virgin, Ruth rford Coantv. Ten
nessee. who gives the following account Of their
introduction aud cultivation:
The Oregon Pea WAS brought few years a
90 from Osegon Territory. Whether II was
found vii there, or was obtained from tn" lndi-
ans, am not prepared to say. obtained from
the State of Mississippi, year ago last Spring,
about tea-poonfull of seed, from the product OF
which, | raised last season thirty bushels OF
pcas. Had il not been for the cut worm, the raw
ages of which were very great, would have rails
ed one hundred bushels
The seed Of this plant is very small. less in
size than that Of the Lady, or Sugar Pea and OF
n pale green conr, with white "tliuin, or eye.
1t grows on a bush from five TO siy feet bi2h.with
five six large branches near the gronud, and
they, with the MAN stem, put ont other branch
es, until the stalks would make bunch "a largo
round as II tobacco hogshead nearit. Ii grows
more like cotton than anything else know of,
only it is much larger with branches not 50 hori-
zontal. After leaving the ground little, all these
branches, with those which put out at every Joint,
bear from four to ten pods i'll Il bunch with about
fifteen peas in pod, which, an article of HUI
man food, superior to any thing of the kind
ever eat.
The stalks and leaves, which are very large
and beautiful, make perhaps, the finest hay IN
the world-stoek preferring il to any other-and
yield greater abundance. The hay and pea
together are better and far cheaper food than
can be raised from any thing else IN the States
for horses mules, cattle. sheep, and hogs. be-
leye can raise more and better food for my stock
an acre of land, than can from five OF any other
crop. 1t will grow land SO poor that it would
produce little or nothing else; and toerable poor
land is better for it. and will produce more than
rich land. This may appear strange TO some, but
it is nevertheless true. Rich land will produce
more stalks but not many peas. In this re-
spect, it is like cotton. As an improyer of the
soil, consider it far superior to clover. or any
thing known in Tennessee when fed off on the
ground and then ploughed in.
If seed is the object one has in view in raising
this pait let it be sown in drills d feet apart
one or two seeds in place, foot asunder along
c,,ch drill. 1nthe course of the summer, weed
and cultivate with the plough and hoe, after the
manner of rai-ing bush beans or Indian corn.
For fodder or hay them broadcast, and light
ly harrow them in, like wheat or other grain.
In short taking this plant altogether, it isone
Of the finest and richest productions ever saw
and am satisfied in my own mind that it Is the
greatest acquisition TO the farmers of the Valley
OF Tie Mississippi and the States adjacent, that
has been introduced into this country-guano
not cxcepted--for the last thirty years. Very
respectfully your obedicnt Servant,
CHARLES MASON Commissioner.