The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1869-02-24
The Cow Pea as a Fertilizer.

The Cow Pea as Fertilizer.
In letter written to the Guilt
vator last year, Mr.. David Dick.
son gives some practical hints npon
this subject. We reproduce them
now that the readers of the Enter
prise may make the necessary ar
rangements in time for the Sum.
mer sowing. Mr.. Dickson says
The benefits Of growing green
crops, and burying them in tile
soil for the benefit of future crops
are too well understood to be ques-
toned by any one, but it has open
ed question in agricultural econ
omy that has not been settled so
satisfactorily. The English farm.
ers formerly used half ton of
ground bones per acre to grow n
single crop, but they have found
by dissolvlng 200 pounds of bones
in acid at cost of so per cent.
on the price of bones, (making the
whole cost equal to that of 800
pounds of bones.) that it will pro-
,duce the same effect at an outlay
of only 30 per cent. on that of the
former mode, the latter method
giving them the means of return.
ing the same amount of manure to
the land next year as the former
did, by producing the same amount
of hay, turnips and other forage to
feed stock. o. --,. ........ -.
Now, admitting that it will pay
to grow peas and clover, to be
turned under as fertilizers, the
following questions arise: AT what
time should they be turned under
TO insure the greatest benefit 3
Would it pay better to feed them
off tho land than to cover them
with o pillow, and what do they
lose by drying before being turn.
ed undera Here again the ques-
,tion of soluble and insoluble ma
nures is involved. l have always
taken the side of soluble manures
;as being the most economical. -
Dry pea vines and clover will soon
become soluble. .....
/ will give you my practice
1T is ono that will pay, although 1
will not say that it is the best
First, keep yonr land in good
heart; let the field that you intend
TO SOW peas on remain fallow, un.
I'll you lay by your corn-say
from the LIST to the Goth of July.
You will then have a large growth
of green weeds to turn under
Start your teams with good turn
plows, running off the land as
nearly level as you can, and go
round and round until tho land or
cut is finished. Start the pea
dropper after every third plough,
and the hand with the manure at.
ter tho pea dropper. Drop the
manure within four inches of the
peas. If You find the peas will
not make from seven to fifteen
bushels per acre, turn stock in
upon them, placing salt in places
over the field, to cause the most
of the manure to be dropped on
the field. Then invest all the
profit arising from feeding stock
. on the field in bones and Peruvian
guano for the next crop, and you
will find this system will pay. /
have adopted it with botll wheat
and cotton, with good success. II
the peas fail to iruit, turn them
under whilst green.
Second Pkan.-Plant peas the
first If April, same as above: turn
nnder before the stems become
very woody, and plant and ma
nure a second crop at the same
time that you are turning under
the first crop Of vines, an | treat
the second crop as you did the
first. .. f-
The true policy is to secure the
greatest amount Of soluble vegera.
ble mold you can accumulate with
= the least cost. -, ...
. go Very truly, yonrs,
r8r DAVID DICKSON.
M II lrrafar naoa ,,lapfod