The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-01-13
COW PEAS, a
A Crop sSsssa,ly Asavsed y ~ ssase
" or ana sCentiAi GsateG ~

The COW pea is : kind of pea named.
botaaically. DoHchos. it is, therefore.
not a pea, aud one who sees iir grow
ing will at once distinguish its bean.
like character BY the form Of its long
round pod and its heart-shaped leaves
1t is q Southern crop and would hardly
pay to grow anywhere north of Ken.
lucky, although ithas been grown for
fodder in New Jersey z The grain par.
takes of the character Of a bean. in
flavor and nutritious quality, and will
make q most valuable crop for fatten-
ing pork in those Southern localities
where the main meat supply is drawn
from the West. This plant is. oneof
the iaEuminous order, and hence pos
sesse much the same value as q reno
water of the soil andas green manure,
to be plowed in. assclover does Re-
cent experience with this crop confirms
our belief that the cow pea is one Of the
most valuable of all Southern fodder
and grain crops, both for its various
uses and for its convent adaptation to
so many circumstances And we would
cali the attention of Southern readers
and those in the North who may feel
inclined to try this plant to its exceed
ingly great and varied value.
II may be grown rs a special crop,
aspeas or beans are, in suitable CLINE
ates.e As peas and the comm on field
bean are not suited to the hot Southern
sun. this plant seems to be special
gift of nature for the. benefit of tho
Southern planter. 1t is, a misfortune
that along with many other gifts OF
bOunteOus nature he too often neglects
this with the others. A few farmers,
recognizing the great value of the COW
pea, turn it to every possible use, and
as special crop grow forty or fifty
bushels per acre and save the stalks for
foddering sheep or mules. 1t is, in
fact, a far more valuable crop than
corn, having better feeding qualities.
as well rs being less exhaustive of the
ground. 1t may be sown at the last
blowing of the corn, and win produce
at least half crop, and will make an
excellent pasture for pigs, bringing
them into the best condition for fat
tenjng after the corn has been gath
cred. u Al
One of it's most valuable uses is as
green manure, being plowed under
when in full growth This meets the
greatest need of Southern farmers;
which is a better supply of manure.
Manure is the scarcest thing to be seen
Oh Southern farm. A poor load Of
it may be gathered during the short
winter, when the mules are treated to
mess of corn shucks and few ears.
as a change from gnawing the stalks
left in the field; and this manure is
helped out very sparsely by the addi-
ton of few bushels of cottOnseed.
Almost everything from Southern
farm is sold. Cotton and the cotton
seed, the tobacco, and quite often most
of the corn and fodder are disposed Of
to pay for fertilizers and food. In this
case the cow pea may be made most
valuable to pillow in upon the old fields,
and many of the moro enterprisiRg
farmers are doing this instead Of leay-
ing the land to be scorehed by the sun
and scored and quilted by the rains.
Like clover, a crop of cow peas can be
grown very cheaply. 1t may be
pastured off or be turned under,
or it may be cut for hay. of
which it makes an excellent kind
and fit for all kinds of stock
and is readily eaten by them. In any
of these ways it can be turned to ac-
count rs a manurial crop and so meet
the most pressing necessities for
the farmer in the South. Green
manuring by the help of this crop will
be one of the most available means for
restoring the soil after cotton growing
It's thought that, as the lint of the
cotton is pure carbon, it may be wholly
consumed and returned to the atmos-
phere from which it was derived, this
4 is mot an exhausting crop. But for
every pound of lint produced, three
pounds of seed are taken from the soil,
and cotton-seed is exceedingly rich in
all the elements of fertile soil; nitro
gen, potash and phosphoric acid. And
rs the seed is now mostly sold to the
oil mills, the cotton crop is really one
Of the most exhaustives of all that are
grown. Cow peas are rich in all these
three elements, and if the planter will
alternate his cotton with cow peas,
which thrive so well upon. his. soil and
is his climate the labor will be repaid
most literally in the larger crops Of
cotton grown and in the saving of the
land from damage.-N. y. Times.