The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-02-27
THE cow PEA.


The Vines a. q Fertilizer.
with this issue we commence series of article
8 on the pea vine with q hope that we can Undue
Others to build up their land with them.]
We claim that the roots of the pea vim
3 are of more value as fertilizer than tn
q vines; both we know are of great valu
when combined, therefore when the vine
are removed for hay, if there is any loss a
all it is comparatively small. The soil il
not cheated out of near as much as though
the vine roots were removed at the same
time. There is more than one object to be
] attained in the cultivation of this vine. Al
one and the same time the grower is rails
inr food for man and beast and at the
same time building up his wornout soil.
Think of that? Is it not enough to cause
you to plant largely OF peas this season?
If the stock on your farm and the land
could vote they would roll up large ma
iority In favor of vigorous planting of the
pea vine. Very few members of the farm
ers family, after good crop has been
raised and harvested, but what would vote
with the SLOcK anu laHu
Flowing them under at first or for the
first crop seems to us as altogether wrong,
for it is nothing more nor less than using
food for man and beast as fertilizer:
therefore, we are inclined to believe that
he roots and vines ought to do the fertil-
ring for the first crop at least.
Every year feed is scarce during the
prinp months in this portion of the state
md will continue to be so until more for
age is put up in the fall. Convert the pea
vine into hay and haul the manure made
therefrom to the field is the better plan,
then the stock will not be cheated.
At the north red clover is used as fer
tilizer. To the farmer there clover is what
the pea vine is to the southern farmer, but
it does not follow that the fertilizing quail
ties of this red clover is all it is grown for
far from it, Generally speaking the first
crop is cut for hay or sometimes the cut
ting is made for seed. The crop is al
lowed to remain in the ground for several
years-there is where they have little
advantage over our fertilizing pea, but
then we have an advantage over them
that "balances the account" Red clover
produces nothing for the family to eat, but
our pea vine does, every time 1t is planted
not in the moon) but in the right time of
the moon.
From the amount of vines we made last
season we believe that many OF the shall
low growing crops would starve If planted
side by side with the pea vine. The roots
of this vine are wonderful. To see for our
selves we tested some on side hill by
.burro wing underneath and allowing the
dashing rains TO wash the soil away from
the buried vines, and the extensive and
deep rooted roots presented to view shows
conclusively that they are amply able 10
Withstand the long dry spells common to
our climate and at the same time keep on
drawing nourishment from the air.
AS valuable forage crop these vines are
specially adapted to met the wants of
every farmer Ia Middle Florida. We make
no exceptions We believe, even if the
soil is poor (this is the way TO build it up)
the vine will produce as large yield OF
nutritive matter as any forage crop that
can be grown with US
By commencing to plant in few weeks
two crops can be matured this season, and
all of the last one can be used for the
stock. 1t will come off when the weather
gets cool and the busy part of farming be-
ing over, what better work can be found
TO do than cutting pea vine hay for "Old
Pide" apd her progency next winter?
Now comes the best part of all. Sow
Dlerable thick, and when the vine is full
grown find a noxious growing, gone alas
like the many is their fate. Cassava
serves weeds the same way. Even if there
was no fertilizing qualities in either of
these plants grow them to keep the weeds
down.
CTn ho continual