Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-05-12
The farm aud fireside.
THE cow PEA.

The COW pea is worthy of being introduced
to every farmer. It's value as an article of
food for man and beast, the large crops Of
fodder (bushy vine) itproduces, its adaptation
to the lightest and poorest soils and its useful.
ness as green manurial crop, place it far
above many other plants that are grown to
its exclusion. 1t has no enemies among the
insects, and is in that particular free from
damage A heavy crop of it will so com.
pletely cover the ground that not even ray
of sunshine can enter, and it is often neces,
sary to pass over the vines with a heavy rol.
Ter in order to get them plowed under. From
twenty to forty bushels Of the peas are usual.
ly produced to an acre, and if they have been
we'll manured previous to seeding, the crop OF
hay will be very large. One of the most i'm:
portant advantages the pea confers on land
is the shading it gives, some experienced tar,
mers contending that by this method it rath.
er improves the soil than Injuries it. A small
outlay will enable any one to try the COW
pea, and those who have not grown it should
do 80.
The COW pea. though called pea, is prop
erly bean. 1t will grow on soil that scarce
ly produces anything, but is, however, sensi.
BILE to the effects of good manuring, and re-
wards the farmer for such treatment with
bountiful yields. 1t is indigenous to the
Middle States and the South, preferring d
warm season and dry soil. There are great
many varieties Of it, the most prolific being
the Crowder, but the "black eyed" is prefer
ed for the table.
As renovator of the soil, next to clover, it
has no equal. Growing with heavy, dense
foliage, plowed under just at the period Of
bossoming, it makes splendid green man.
ure, rotting quickly and producing lasting eff
fects. 1t can be grown for this purpose on
land that will not produce clover, and that
is very important item. On inferior land
that has had crop of COW peas turned un'
der, if light sprinkling of lime is added, q
venture may safely be made with clover the
following year. 1t is planted about the same
time as corn. 1t can be sown for hay, bul
care must be taken in harvesting it properly
If allowed to get too ripe, the leaves will
crumble off after it is slowed away in the
loft but if cut when in full blossom, or just
as the young pods begin tc form, and then
cured like ordinary hay, it will keep we'll all
the wiuter. Cows eat it with relish, and fol
sheep, nothing is equal to it-they eat it uE
clean, being very fond of it. The seeds are
more nutritious than ordinary white beans
stock preferring it when cooked, to corn OF
meal, while calves are raised on them with
ease when it is desirable to wean earl y. Fol
the table they are cooked not only when dry
but also when green, being a favorite dish on
Virginia and Carolina tables. There is a
prejudice against it on the part of those moi
familiar with it on account of the dark color
it takes when cooked but if the nutritious
qualities of the pea were fully known, no diff
6culty would be experienced in making it 6
staple article of food. Philadelphia Record
HE1FERs AND CALv-s.-In training thu
heifer to be MIXED I have found that patience
is an important consideration. I found that
by using a milking stool, the leg of which
was fourteen inches in length, | could, by
placing my head firmly against the side O
the heifer and having the stool so placed a.
to form brace, prevent her from kicking
use stanchion fastenings, and feed while
milking. The calf was easily taught to drink
as soon as danger from an inaamed udde
had passed. have found that narrow
pen is desirable, one not wider than three
feet, 80 that the calf cannot back away from
the bucket. After allowing the calf to suck
the ends of my fingers at two or three feed
ings, slipped the bucket containing the milk
for it under the bottom plank of the pen
which happened to be Of the exact height tt
admit the bucket under it. The calf coulc
not upset it, and in the course of ten minutes
drank the contents, aud has had constitu
tional tendency to drink ever since.