The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-25
TESTS OF FIELD PEAS. 2.


and Best Varieties For Forage and Peas,
The horticuiturist Of the Georgia sx-
pertinent station at Experiment reports
in bulletin No. .2S some fertilizer and
variety tests Of field peas. While it has
long been generally admitted that for
field peas the specific fertilizer is phos-
phoric acid neither its limit of ayaila-
bility, its best form for presentation nor
tho exact extent to which its usefulness
is affected by combination with other ele-
ments Of plant food has ever been deter
mined. For these determinations, there
fore, q series of experiments has been in
augurated to extend through several sea-
sons. The scheme for tho past season
was arranged more with view to COM
parison of different proportions and
forms of nitrogen, separately and in
combination, rs we'll as of different pro-
portions and forms of potash, than for
tho purpose of studying tho effects of
phosphorio acid Of course only tenta-
tive results can be expected from one
years experiments, yet so far as they 20
they have been moderately consistent
and in general way satisfactory.
The land was thoroughly broken and
pulverized in March, and on June 10
the rows were run with a shovel plow.
two trips to the row, the fertilizer dis
tributed and mixed with q scooter, two
trips to the row, bedded with four fur
rows by turn pillow and the beds lev
oled with saddle skirt harrow. On
Juno ID the section was planted with
Speckled or Whippoorwill peas by pea
dropper running in q scooter furrow.
Rain following, the stand was nearly
perfect, Cultivation followed through
the season as often as necessary with q
Planet, Jr., cultivator. The first pick
ing Of peas WIS made Sept. 10, the Sec
ond Sept. % and the third and last Oct.
8. On Aug. 80 one-half of each plat was
cut and the green vines weighed on the
spot the remainder Of tho plat being
left to ripen its peas.
Conclusions drawn from results al
ready obtained briefly stated arc:
1. 1t is money thrown away to apply
any form of heterogeneous fertilizer to
COW peas E. The use of potash salts in
any form appears improbable, large
doses, especially of kainit, proving posi-
lively injurious 8. Complete fertilizers
combinations of ammonia, potash and
phosphoric acid-appear to be valuable
only in direct proportion to the prepon-
deralice of phosphoric acid in the COM
bination. 4. Heavy applications of any
form or combination Of fertilizers, in
Guiding phosphates, are Improbable 5.
Moderate doses of superphosphate (acid
phosphate) or Florida soft phosphate
ground rock, untreated) produce the
largest gross yield as well as the great
estprofit. 6. The amount of phosphates
which may be safely depended upon diff
fers of course with the character of the
land. Tho better the soil the greater the
amount that may be used with profit
A range of from 900 to 400 pounds per
acre of acid phosphate and of perhaps
double that amount of soft phosphate
would probably cover all contingencies.
In the present test the best varieties
for forage appear to DO in their order:
Black yielding at the rate of IS, SIG
pounds green vines per aero in four foot
rows-Mathews, Gourd, White, Tay-
lor's Prolific, Blue Hull and Specked
Crowder yielding the same), Rice and
Clay. Mathews (origin, Spalding coun-
ty) appears to be only an improved
Gourd pea, though apparently, probably
from careful selection, superior to the
average seed of the Gourd pea obtain
able.
For peas the heaviest yield was made
by the following varieties i'll their order:
Black Q4.6 81 bushels per acre, calculated
yield, Mathews and Clay yield the
same), Taylor's Prolific, Blue Hull,
Speckled Crowder, White Crowder,
Mush and Williams Hybrid
1t was noticed that those varieties
producing most vines, also, as rule,
record the heaviest yield in peas.