The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-02-28
Cow Pc AS.
An Instructive Essay on Peas, Read Be-
fore the Agricultural Society at
the A. and M. College, By
Mr.. l.. A. Cowper,
of Wake Co

Inc COW pea Is q native Of india and
southern China We have several Va
rletles lii cultivation, which are known
as the whIppOOrwIll, the blackeye, the
Whlteeye, the clay bank, et;., but are
all OF ABOUT the same value. The COW
pea, although we'll known throughout
the South, has never received the at
tentlOn It's merIas deserve. They will
grow ON the poorest soil, and laugh at
a drought. Ihe COW pea produces a
mass Ot vegetation exceeding any other
'egufnlnOuS plant except alfalfa clover
OI average lands We can raise from 25
10 5O bushels OF peas to the acre, which
furnish very nutritious food for man
and beast
The -Ow pea being q very tender an
nuaI, should be sOwn III early, spring,
although 1t will do well sOWn as late DIS
July ILLS u deOataOle question whether
IL viii pay better to plOW the p a vines
under 10 furnish humuS to the SOIl, or
gamer and te,-d TO stock AID return the
manure TO the soil, OuJ | have aiway 8
thOughL IL best to turn the stock IN the
tielGs and let them gather at random
| suppose AL Of IHE PROGRESSIVE
FARMERS readers have noticed now
much their stock improves when they
Lurn them III the paati8ld III the (all
Cow peas do not decrease the fertility
OF soils, but makes them richer, for II
ls legumIDOus piaUt 1t Is not well
known tON IeguminOus plants gather
uILraCcs III the soil bat it Is believed
that Jhey extract free and valuel1 IS
trum an agricultural stun8pOn) nj
LCogen from tn0 ala, and give re to the
suH through their roots
Cow peas, grown 20 enrich the soil
add Nitrogen, which IS by far the most
cOs@iy Of fertilizers, Ou5 add no pho5
phOrIc acid or potash 20 the soil. On
the other had ih-y ar great consumers
Of potash. hence IL would be advisable
10 top dress peas with the ashes from
your tirepiaCe in order that we may get
q larger amount II nitrogen in The sod
.,lgra.eS are very soluble, and tor
this IeasOn Wnen peas are psOwed. IN
Jhe fail, .ye snOuld plant oats. rye or
otne- narty nl5r0genOus consuming
plants to take up the nitrogen ina
" ;uld otherwise leach out of the sUll
ard he lost.
Cne uItrates gathered in the soil
II r>m an acre Of cow peas have been
estimated to b. worth about $25, but
some of Jnese niJrateS VIII leach Ou5 OF
tne SOU In spite of any thing you can
Ip GD prevent 1t.
Brother farmer, if J Ou expect to SOW
some tall Oats TINS year, SOW some COW
peas this spring 10 turn under In the
fail, and plant our oats on top of them
ana you viii find that your Oas will
bring double what they would have
Drought If you mad not plan tea them
on Tne same ground that you grew
your peas on.
Tne time has come when the farmers
of our State vii have to use their
brains If they expect TO make InOnry
at farming It does not Look as If a
farmer Is using his brains when he goes
headiOng, year after Year, paying Ii
CENTS d pound Tor nitrogen which he
could have gotten from nature, free of
cost, by growing some legummOus
plants, suCn as COW peas, clover, VeGch,
Oe AIS, etc.
l saw with my own eyes an expert
ment carried Oh at JHe n. T.. Expert
meuJ Station which well brought out
the value OF CON peas plowed under
for wheat manure, They took two
pl4ts, side by side. On one Of them
Lney put no manure. On the other
they turued under SOME COW peas 1t
was fOInd that the plat which had the
pea vines turned under produced at
The rate of ten bushels per acre more
than the plat that had nO manure
L will say in conclusion, that this is
a noble crop and one when, when
properly managed, will make both
farm and farmer rich. WhIie on the
other hand the planter who grows all
Cotton, and buys Western grown tim
.Othy at twice It's intrIn ic value, de-
serves, and Is likely to remain in
poverty.