The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-10-05
The Constitution Pea.

Editor Atlanta CDnStltN610D: i Ills Is
year for candidates, and beg that you
will allow NE to introduce q new ono
through the medium of your widely read
Of any kind, and his mission has nothing
to do with free trade, the tariff, sub-treas-
uries, unlimited coinage nor pensions.
He il an philanthropist, pure and simple.
His labor will be to restore the impover-
ished cotton and corn lands of the South
and add fat to tho desolate swine that at
this season of the year 90 about seeking
what they may devour. His name-the
one have bestowed-is The Constitution
Pea.
T do not claim in this introduction the
discovery of new variety. It has been
known for many years to the negroes
upon plantation in this County that
some time since came into my control,
and il was there first pointed out to me.
It is probably known to others. But
do claim that the pea is one that, in these
times, at least, has been overlooked,
when it should have been zealously
guarded, and that it has no contemporary
Of equal value.
The first claim This outcast may make
is Immortality. It is practically impos-
sible to Danish it. Year after year it
comes up where 1t grew the year before,
flourishes and passes away to come
again. Corn and then oats planted above
him the same, and even late crop of
cotton on the oat stubble will not dis
courage him. When the last crop is laid
by he makes his appearance, grows with
marvellous rapidity, spreads his leaves,
runs out his pods and matures his seed.
II the land lies out he comes up among
tho weeds, winding in and out and crawl
ing over them, making navigation tor
sportsmsn almost impossible. The well
known "CIaybank" will also reproduce
itself, but it Is not rival by any means.
The second claim to public favor is the
yigor and prolificness Of this pea. The
vine send you by express to-day is
from one rootstock, as you will perceive.
This root is about an inch In diameter.
It was the largest ! found lp y three
vine, as growing, would have covered
the floor Of an ordinary room, It was
growing on land that will produce this
year about ten bushels Of corn to the acre
"a gray loan. The root was first ex-
tracted and then drawn until the runners
broke or were disentangled from corn
stalks, weeds and grass. Probably 10
per cent. Of the vine remained behind.
Certainly the rough handling must have
stripped it of large number OF the pods.
Yet from the vine plucked $50 pods.
Ten pods taken at random shelled out
I6l peas, an average Of sixten to the pod,
and q grand total from this one root of
9,44O.peas. It is possible that the ends Of
other vines were drawn with this one,
but not as many as the vine lost by strip
ping, Moreover 1t was partially dragged
Tor half mile before the picking,
In nrI1
this product3 Think of it, practically
10 GOO for one, aud this one an outcast.
But the peas upon this vine represent
its smallest value. It has without care
or cultivation covered fifteen feet square,
or 235 square feet Of soil, which is richer
to-day In plartfort than 1t was six
months SINCE. II the vine had been
turned In by the ploW it would be doubly
10. This particular vine, however, upon
The Constitution floor may enrich many
Thousand acres,
And therein il its third claim! The
value Of peavines AZ fertilizer, whether
turned under green or cured, il well
known everywhere in this day and gen.
Grafton. No commercial fertilizer can
supply all the equivalents OF q pea crop.
Not only through the medium Of its own
organization does 1t rob the air and sub
8Oll Lu6 D6A64V Va WV P%oA%p 0pSS UAU
1t shades this bed, keeping it oool and
moist, promoting condemnation and the
further addition Of ammonia. Further
more, it adds vegetable matter, keeping
the soil loose and pliable. This Is the
proven action Of the field pea, and that
variety which does this service in the
highest degree is assuredly the most
valuable. The only rival "The Oonstl-
tuticnn has in several Of these respects, Is
the famous "CQnch," Of Florida, which,
except in color, It very much resembles.
But the Conch is not prolific, nor is it
immortal, Yet 1t sells, or sold few
years since, at IS per bushel.
Lastly, the modest little black pea
have been writing about Is eagerly
deyoured by hogs and cattle, which search
for them in the corn fields eagerly, one
choosing peas, the other vines and leaves,
and both trampling in the seed for next
years supply. Planted broadcast, only
handful here and there, with the fall
oats and given s. few weeks after the oats
are cut in the spring, they afford an adj
mirable pasture, enrich the land for cotton
or corn and are On hand again tho follow
ing years. Probably If cultivated, they
will produce two crops IN season, but
this IL surmise only.
The T,ne I send you is from land in
this County (Bibb,) near Macon. In
ante bellum times it was owned BY COL
onel John B. Lamar, who lost his life in
the Confederate service. The old Me-
groes say it has :salways' been upon the
place, and that twelve years ago the then
owner fearing they might become trou-
blesome (?) had every vine pulled up,
but without affecting the pea very
greatly, which, Like many members of
The Pulse family, seem to have the faculty
- .15;,o 4, raao-ua q aunn1v Of snaf1 for