The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1875-07-16
ROTATION OF CRoPs---THE NEGLECT OF THE
PEA CROP.

ho'A1loN of 'hPEsI6hhG Pea 6koP. Nhehhoiof The
Editor tSouttcrm Cuhiuator In tbs
April No. of your paper the following plan
is recommended as proper rotation of
crops, viz:
Cotton, >Corn, Oats,
Corn, Oats, Cotton,
Oats, Cotton, Corn.
The writer advises the sowing Of peas af-
ter the oats come off. to be turned under in
the fall. like the arrangement of crops
very much, but would offer the following
amendment to it, viz:
Oats, Cotton, Corn and peas
Cotton. Corn and peas Oats,
Corn and peas, Oats, Cotton. -,
That is. IS. the corn all be soNsain peas
| (broadcast), at the last plowing As soon
as corn is off turn all under and put in oats.
| Then when the oats are off SOW in peas
again, turn these under in the fall, and put
in rye, to be turned in in April, and you
| would have rich vegetable mold that
would make cotton to perfection. There
could be enough peas gathered from each
crop to replace the seed and pay for all cx-
ira labor required to put them in, and the
rye for winter pasture would pay large
| per cent. on the cost of the seed.
HWY IL IL -ICdb ucdl Sul'. III OuE
tural papers about clover, but in my judg-
mcnt the pea is tie clover for our Souther,.
farms. We can grow peas where it would
be perfect folly to attempt to raise clover,
for it is conceded fact that clover must
have good soil, or it don't amount to any
thing, Whereas the pea will growson very
poor land. II is strange that our Southern
planters have 50 grossly neglected. this crop
and persist in doing so, when il has SO ma
ny qualities to recommend it to our consid.
eraton Its cheapness, requiring very little
labor to raise lists superiority as d forage
and as fertilizer. Lregard it ahead of
clover for our old worn.out lauds-not be-
cause it is richer ins the element of plant
food, but because it grows so much more
tgeadily OH poor land, aud therefore what it
EScksin quantity is ethan made up for
k8nantity AS o proof that this crop has
been most shamcfully neglected, peas arc
th6H &0rth in Montgomery S1.75 to $500
per bushcl, while corn is selling at S1.1O to
S1.20 per bushei, and that too when a bush
el of peas can be raised for less than half
what it costs to raise bushel of corn
Will not the people cease this shameful neg
lect Of one OF the very best paying crops
tlc Cuh ldlSC III ttlC COuIu! Lul-
Etor, please give your views on the above. IF
prohs'5! -5y00' 'Fr''crs' gTfnscRIBER.
Prattvillc, Ala,
The amendment proposed is an excel
! I ,rt,i,,,ue. A farmer should never let an op-
ton Of pea crop aaht te sorn isr'zy"s ea1y gork ad
it rapidly and lay by early. This will give
the best yield Of corn, and allow the peas
time to mature Gather corn rs soon ms
dry, and be sure in ploughing under pea
vines, to see that the corn stalks are thor
oughly buried also-thcy are valuable, es-
pcclally for the potash they contain. We
have found that good two.horse plough
Will bury corn-stalks, even when not cut
down or chopped in pieces. The double
tree bends them down in front until the
share lays hold sof the butts. EVERYTHING
should be buried sufficiently deep not 10 be
disturbed by the harrow, when coveriua he
oats. Peas after oats it exactly-the o6ly
difficulty is that dry weather may defer
their planting or coming up, until rather
late in the season. 1t is good practice also,
to follow this crop OF peas with rye SO get
the full benefit of it, however, the s:peas
ought to be started .arly, and turned ufdcr
by the first of October-earlier, If practi-
cable--so as to admit Of the rye being
ploughed under in its turn earlier than
April. field Of rye ploughed under in
April would not furnish the most favorable
conditions for securing a stand of cotton.
and the undecomposed rye would be very
| much In tho way in the carly workings.
In many cases the pea is preferable to
cioyer-for instance, on light sandy soils,
and in cases where it is desired to run a
renopdfing crop during short interval, as
in the rotation discussed above-but where
the soil is stiff, or clay subsoil is within 8
inches of the surface, even if the land il poor
clover is in our judgment greatly superior TO
the pea. On verWpoor clay lands, 300 ihs..
per acre "f supcrphosphate (not ammonia.'
ted will give it a start, and little plaster
will keep it flourshing. 1t has the great
advantage over the poa that one seeding
down suffices, for if allowed to mature seed
in the fall, the land becomes 80 full of them,
that 0otunteer crop of clover can be secur-
ed at any time by sowing land in small
grain. Such is the testimony of farmers in
clovcrgrowingT countries, and such has
been our own experience 10, Georgia. In
the next place, the main grcEth and work
of clover, is in the carly spring, when the
earth is still wet from The winter rains; it
is seldom therefore cutoff by drought-the
pea often is. Again, clover has i,oo ycurs
or more in whichto do its work-the pea
has tc,o months oflSs
We would not, however, be understood as
uttering one word in disparagement of the
pea crop. We have again and again urged
its importance and value, both as food
crop and a renovator, and should consider