The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-07-11
agricultural Matter.
Plant Peas,

Were our farmers in the habit Of pre-.
pairing their uat land as well as they dc
their cotton land, we would feel sure thai
the past light harvesting had barely paid
the expenses OF preparation; but usually
the oat crop is thrown III as that mucil
extra. and making much ur little is in L
majority Of instance considered as Just SC
much again. After Il while We will learn
that this crop deserves moro attention,
and the more care bestowed upon il the
better it rcn]lulreratcS the farmer.
There may Sc, however, many Of our
readers who sowcd their oats in good
land, and who prepared the land thor
oughly before sowing the grain. Such
men feel that they have not been repaid
by the light crop just harvested. 10 all
such men we say, you need no grulnblc,
for there is ample time to get Il fine net
income from that very land if you have
time to cultivate it. The recent contin-
ueu rains have prcparedthe stubblc fields
beautifully for Il second crop, and Moth
ing will pay better now than peas.
The speckled pea. known rs the whOo-
crop if planted by the middle or last of
july if il gets seasons in due time after it
is up. The COW pea will mature if s0wn
by the first Of July, and the rcd stock
pca will grow an abundance of forage II
il does not mature before frost.
Now if the grass is pushing the cotton
planter, land doubtless they all now wish
The day was forty-eight hours loIS,) he
will not have the time TO prepare the
stubble land thoroughly before planting
Ills peas, and, therefore, must shit it 4
lick and Il pron.iSe,' so he should simply
run scooter burrows about thirty inches
apart, drop four or five peas every foot,
and cover with two scooter burrows. If
the ground is in good season, the crop
will be up and ready fora working before
the season is out Of the ground. The
,middlcs ("bawks') should then be
broken out by the deep and close plough
ing, and ten days after the crop should be
carefully lOed. AS y as the grass be-
gins 20 show itself after that, two sweep
turrows should be run between the rowS
of peas. Possibly the crop may need
left clean, for this is the ''laying by"
working. If the seasons prove favorable,
the growth Of the crop will astonish the
planter.
Some farmers prefer sowing peas broad
cast. We co not. To SOW broadcast re-
quircs too much ploughing, just at the
time when it is difficult to spare the cams
from the summer crops long enough even
to lay off the burrows and cover the seed.
And broadcast sowing will seldom pro-
duce as much forage, and rarely ever as
many peas as tic drilled culture.
If it is proposed to convert this crop in
to "rougilage,' that is, provender for
stock, the vines should be cut with a
grass blade just when the first peas begin
to ripen and before the wholecr is ripe.
If tie peas arc to he picked, OF if the
crop is to be giIcn to hogs, the peas
should not be picked nor the hogs turned
on the crop till the peas are all ripe. II
the crop is to be turned under as Il MAJ
nurin., the plough should be started just
low and before the leaves begin to drop
of. EXCEPT crab grass nothing is more
difficult to turn under with Il plough than
pea vines, and the best plough for the
purpose we have ever used, even on level
land, is the hillside turning plough.
Just how much forage an acre of peas
and pea vines, cultivated as above will
make, we cannot tell, but we believe it
will winter Il mule very comfortably.
For this reason III oStra eifort.should be
made to put in this crop. 1t will halId-
soIlely repay the farmer, and perhaps
prevent his taking odd trips TO TIC dcpo:
for bought corn mex spring.
If ally farmer has all acre or more Of
good land that was in oats, and has 10
peas, let him at once break up that land
with sharp Scooters, wait Il week and
cross plough it, and then harrow, brush
or drag il until thoroughly %pulverizcL
and smooth, and. then await results. 1t
will grow him Il to-! or ton and Il half OF
excellent hay.-NeWs and Courier.