The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-07-05
Plant Peas.

Were our farmers in the habit of pre-
pairing their oat land as we'll as they do
their cotton land, we would feel sure that
the past light harvesting had barely paid
the expenses of preparation bnt usually
the Oat crop is thrown in as that much
extra, end m:1ing much or little is in o
major ! of instance considered as Just so
much gain. After while we will learn
chat this crop deserves more attention,
and the more care bestowed upon it the
better it remunerates the farmer.
There may be, however, many of our
readers who sowed their oats in good
land, and who prepared the land
thoroughly before sowing the grain.
Such men feel that they have not been
repaid by the light crop just harvested.
10 al such men we say, you need not
grumblc, for there is ample time to get a
fine net income from that very land if
you nave tirae to cultivate it. The recen.
continued rains have prepared the stubhle
fields beautifully for second crop, and
nothing will pay better now than peas.
The speckled pea, known rs the whoo-
perwill, and the shiney pea will make q
crop If planted by the middle or last of
July if it gets seasons in due time after
it is up. Tho COW pea will mature if
sown by tho first Of July, and the red
stock pea will grow an bundance of for
age if it doas not mature before frost.
Now if the grass ia pushing the coi.:sIi
the day was forty-eight hours long,) he
will not have the time to prepare the
stubble land thoroughly before planting
his peas, and, therefore, must ''hit it !:
lick and promise" so he should simpl
run scooter furrotys about thirty inches
apart, drop four or five peas every foot,
aud cover with two ncooter burrows. If
the ground is in good season, the crop
will be up and ready for working be-
fore the season IS out of the ground.
The c.;a!aa!es ("bawks") should then be
broken out by deep and close ploughing,
and ten DAYS after the CROP should be
carefully hoed. AS soon rs the grass be-
gins to show itself after that, two sweep
furrows should be run between the rows
of peas. Possibly tho crop may need
three burrows. At any rate, it should be
left clean, for this is the "laying by''
working. If the seasons prove favora-
BILE, the growth of tho crop will astonish
the planter.
Some farmers prefer sowing peas broad
cast. We do not. To SOW broadcast re.
quires too much ploughing, just at the
.lm.e when !. ;s difleHlt to snare the
teams from tho summer crops long
enough even to lay off the furrows and
cover the seed. And broadcast sowing
will seldom produce rs much forage, and
rarely ever as many peas as the drilled
culture.
IF it is proposed to convert this crop
into "roughage," that is provender for
! stock, ss::..s chs T.a.ss shoaid be cue with g
grass blade just when tho first peas begin
to -ipen and before the whole crop is
| ripe. II the peas are to be picked, or il
The crop is to be given to hogs, the peas
| should not be picked nor the hogs turned
on the crop till the peas arc all ripe. II
the crop is to be turned under as manu-
ring, the plough SHOULD be started just
when the bulk of the crop is turning yol-
low and before the leaves begin to drop
OIL Except crab gfass nothing is moro
difficult to turn under with q plough
than pea vines, and the best plough for
the purpose we haze ever useS., eycn on
level land, Is the hillside turning plough.
Just how much forage an acre OF peaa
and pea vines, cultivated as above, viii