The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-04-16
DRm0frat.
V z For Tie Charlotte Democrat
Trnsssss1iROUND PEA CULTURE.
uopcoTT's HILL, New Hanover CO., N. C.
Z----.--a----...---z. April s, 1861.
-.LOTTE, N. c.

{ HocCoTTs HILL, New Hanover CO., n. G..
- April s, 1861.
w. u Yates, Esq.-Dear Sir: You request ME
TO write you some account of the Ground Pea
culture in this region. will endeavor to comply
briefly with your wish. In doing so, / only give
an outline Of the method of culture, as have not
time to go infinitely into the subject.
The production of this nut as staple crop was
introduced here some twenty-five years ago, and
has gradually extended along the sea coast. until
now about one hundred thousand bushels are
annually produced. These are mostly sold in the
Wilmington market at prices varying from one
dollar to one dollar and seventy-fve cents per
bushel. The latter is regarded as a very high
figure and is only reached when the crop falls very
short
The kind of land adapted to this crop is light
oak and hickory soil. Pine land is too sterile and
clay land too difficult of cultivation, besides being
almost sure to make large dark colored, badly
filed nut of poor flavor which is of slow sale and
small profit. 1t is very exhaustiDg crop, and
hence great pains and labor are bestowed on
manuriDg. This is done with the scrapings of
the oak and hickory woods and with mud from
the salt marshes bordering the Sound, and from
fresh water ponds when partially dried up. To
keep up the standard Of fertility We find that lime
also is necessary This is obtained from the
Sound by burning oyster shells in kilns, and is
then distributed at the rate of from twenty FIVE to
fifty bushels per acre. 1t is usual to follow tho
pea nut crop with rye, and then two years of fall
low. In that time good growth of weeds spring
up and when turned under in the Fall season are
pretty well rotted by the following Spring when
planting begins
The proper season for planting is from the mid
die to the last of April. The land is first flushed
up FIVE six inches in depth, then laid off in
checks, about two and half feet square, with a
block pillow. At each intersection two pea kernels
are dropped and covered to the depth of four
inches. Replanting follows, and the business of
cultivation commences. We have but two i'm
plements for this purpose-the common wedding
hoe and the sweep The latter is a doublewinged
instrument-the wings meeting in front at a point
forming an angle of about forty-fve degrees. 1t
is of varying widths, adapted to the different
stages of growth in the cror. At first when the
plants are small We use sweep about nineteen or
twenty inches in width but as the plants extend
encroaching on the intermediate spaces, it is
cessary to use smaller size, from fifteen 10 seven
teen inches in width. Some very good planters
use three different sizes, ranging from fifteen to
twenty inches wide After sweeping" the hoes
follow, removing every spear of grass and all
weeds. This process is repeated every two or
three weeks until the plants having covered most
of the ground, cannot be further cultivated with
out injury. A crop usually receives four FIVE
workings with sweep and hoes-thc sweep running
In both directions, set Of burrows crossing the
others at right angles This greatly diminishcs
the labor of the hoe force. No dirt should he
placed on the plant. | make this remark in pass
ing, because | know that notion prevails very
generally that this is necessary. About the last
of July the crop is "laid by" The whole surface
is then very soon covered with dense mass of
green, and presents very beautiful appearance.
About the last of September or early in October
the pea vines begin to show specks, to drop their
rich green into more brownsh hue. This indi-
Gates that they ripening. Digging then COM
mences. This is done with an implement called
pea digger-a sort of one-wnged sweep, the wing
being long enough to extend under the plant, cut
ting the tap-root and loosening the whole plant
from the ground. The latter is then easily and
rapidly lifted out of the ground by hand and
dropped back to remain some two days until sufi-
ciently dry for stacking, which is done pretty much
after the manner of stacking fodder. The win
tiers work for the trash force is to pick off the
crop from the vines On some large plantations
this is done by machinery driven by steam power;
but crop of less than five or six thousand bush
els will not justify the of such machinery.
Three bushels per day is task for full hand in
picking off.
One great incidental profit is the amount of
pork which the planter can fatten Every acre,
after the crop is taken from it, will fatten from
TO two hogs. We have only therefore to keep our
hogs in good growing order until the crop is dry,
then turn them in ard they will be ready for
slaughter by the middle of January. The vines
make tolerable food for cattle
We consider fifty bushels per good crop,
though some planters make greater average than
this. A great deal of land however is planted in
this crop which does not yield exceeding thirty
bushels per acre. Not half our farming lands in
this region suited to the production of pea
nuts, and though | have travelled some | have
never seen any land out of this region adapted to
it. The labor Of cultivation, harvesting, &C.,
being very great, planter who can make pro-
visions and cultivate four acres in pea nuts to the
hand is doing very well. When the crop falls as
low as twenty or twenty-five bushels per acre it
ceases to pay. Yours truly, r. X. b.