The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-05-21
VOLUME IX.---NO. As.
Southern Field Pea.

This common plant, cultivated by us at the
South, is nisnomer. 1t is no pea, but bean,
and although extensively and universally cul-
tivated, is not half appreciated. have seen
eighty varieties of this bean exhibited by j.
| V. Jones, of Burke county, Ga, at one of the
fairs of the Alabama State Agricultural Society,"
They were of all sizes and colors, and but three
or four of them desirable as table bean (pea)
Among them the white crowder, (called crowd
er because the fruit crowds each other in the
pods) is delicious, nutritious food for man.
1t contains far greater proportion of nutritive
matter than the Northern navy bean, and that
has been so nutritious that the soldiers and
sailors of the army are mainly fed on them.
find this bean selling in our market at four and
five dollars per bushel. Their culture has be-
come source Of great profit to the Northern
farmers. They are cultivated in drills and
broad cast. The average yield is about twenty
bushels to the acre, and yet with good culture
and the right kind of fertilizers, they have
yielded fifty bushels to the acre. Now, can
we not with good soil and culture get as great
a yield of the white crowder pea (beanY I
believe we can, and if we can, there is no crop
that grows on Southern soil that pays as we'll.
But, say the fogy croakers, we canrot pick
them out if we succeed in getting the crop to
grow. We cannot get hands to pick more than
two bushels day at the best, and many will
not pick more than one bushel. Cultivate,
cure and save this crop precisely as they do
the Northern bean, and as in England they do
the English pea. Farmers, try one acre.
Plough the land thoroughly, make it rich and
mellow, open slight furrows two and a half
feet apart, and, either by hand or a cotton seed
planter, drop the seed in the drill. One bushel
of seed will plant an acre. half bushel will
plant it if care be taken not to drop too thick.
As the plants grow plough them twice with
sweep or horse hoe
If gypsum be sprinkled over the growing
plants it will give them astounding vigor and
promote their fruitfulness. When the pods
and stalks begin to turn yellow just before the
seed becomes hard, cut the vines with weed
scythc or sickle, and with pitch fork or a
horse rake get them into maths or crooks, and
then into stacks, until they are cured enough
for thrashing. If the weather is unfavorable
cart them under shelter, where they may be
thrashed out with fail. If the weather
should prove favorable, they may be thrashed
out on the ground where cut and cured. The
navy bean is often thrashed out by going
through thrashng machine. The hanlon or
stalk will still be left to make good food for
stock. This is the way which English peas
are cultivated in England, from which we get
our split peas at eight dollars per bushel.
Now, the white crowder pea will make richer
soup than the English split pea, and is more
nutritious than the Northern navy bean, and
there is no reason why we may not get as large
or even larger yield per acre. I have particu-
larized the white crowder because I know it to
be as productive as the speckled and darker
varieties and altogether superior in favor:
Some may object to making large crops of
peas, as the pea weavil is so destructive: But
if the peas Tor beans) that are designed for the
table are kiln dried, they will keep for years
without any sign of bug. 1t has been fash
onable of late to talk and write about raising
our own supplies. Now what constitutes sup
plies? Is not crop that will save one-third
of the bread and one-third of the meat good
supply crop? Then begin and improve on the
planting and cultivation of the common crowd
er Plant them early, and for themselves alone,
and my word for it, they will yield richer re-
turn than any other crop on the farm.-C. A.
PEABODY, in Columbus Enquirer