The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1894-03-31
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
THE COW PEA AS A FERTILIZER
AND FORAGE CROP.
Wore Profitable at Present THAN WhrH'
Dctroying the white Grub-Hui to""r~
Before (aIving PorR Pointers An"
Household Helps,
The Cow Pea.

y
ccivc the vulu Of lcgumcs in his
crop rotations: not only TO obtain the .
highest results from present tinan- .
cial standpoint, but to best preserve .
or improve the natural fertility OF .
the soil.
Nitrogen is undoubtedly the most .
valuable ingredient taken from the /
soil, and the most costly on to re
place, wher' commercial fertilizers I
are used for reaching that end. 10
the farmers of the West the question
Of purchasing nitrogen has hardly
presented itself. they finding ltmore
profitable to obtain this element by
growing the legumes, The clover
| has long hcl1 first rank among these
and has boon found not only to
largely increase The fertility OF the
fields but to produce large quantities
of provcndor. besides yielding album
dant pa5turage.
The COW pea is the legumc that
has held the highest favor IN the
South tor many years, and is grad
nalIv extending its domain north
ward. Ii South Missouri it is being
extensively grown on fruit lands,
and either eaten down by hogs or
else pIowcd under when it reaches
its greatest luxuriance. In many re-
spccts the pea is held to be superior
to the clover. In growth it is more
rapid. and doubtless adds in one sea
son more nitrogen to the soil than a
crop of clover, while as forage for
stock, especially hogs, it is found to
be most excellent.
At present the seeds are hard to
; obtain and cost fl or $L5O per
: bushel. They may be bought in
Memphis and perhaps St Louis and
, Kansas City; it is probably best to
{ have your local sccdsmcn order them
, for YOU, writes d. W. May of the
Missouri agricultural college, in
= Colmans Rural World. Avoid
0 weevily peas. 1t is claimed by many
l that the wcevil attacks only the
= starchy matters aud never injuries
= The embryo, however this may be,
c careful experiments have proven
= that wecviIy peas more often fail tt
> snrout. while those that do sprout
;, are found to be less thrifty thar
S; those vines grown from good seed.
t. There are three main objects il
II the culture Of the COW pea, 1t may be
1T crown for plant food or manure. fol
V forage and for a money crop As
10 manurial crop it is either sow
en- broadcast or narrowed in. or els
re sown in corn after the last plowlng
f. The method of sowing will determine
ID the amount Of seed per acre, it vary
Mt mo from one to four bushels or siXt
re pounds to the bushcl. When alone
: i, is best to SOW as early as poSslbl
; = in the spring, waiting until tn
&C ground is warm and danger OF har
rc frosts is past Some growers preic
no TO wait until the first, or even as LAT
q as the middle Of June in order
na avoid the ravages of the pea bu!
no, nrevalcut in some sections. In tb1
~ locality, however, ] think 1T una'
w. visable to wait this late, especial
-, # the crop is to be harvested. Whe
s0wn in corn the object Is manure
100 FORAGE and the sowing is ncccSsarl
tbe late. As o manure the crop shou
I'll. be plowed under just before comm
,o. into bloom, as il has been found
~. hole at that time the highest amou
49, Of nitrogen. If desired, potash al
=, pho4phoric acid may be added
a commercial form: and these,
" rether with the nitrogen found in t
uca vine. will add the three gre
requisites TO the soil.
,,.o In diversified farming it is mo
."ia profitable, especially on the fert
'u'U lands of the West, where other
~ iects than the enrichment OF
10" land may be locked for--to pa8tt
'"'1 the pea crop before blowing 1t H.
'n' makes a splendid food for the hog
particular. Care should be taken
turning cattle and horses in uE
the crop, as death may follow o.
: eating. They should not be turf
= in hungry. but should be fed, wat
: ad, and sailed before; they may TT
: be left in as long as desired. Sw
: are very fond Of the pea and Their
= nothing, perhaps, superior for lay
: on fat. 1t is best to turn them
: when the pods are fully develo
: md the pea soft. This treatm
: not only lays on large amount
= meat in the stock, but the rel
---- roots and manure add very mat
,Nns ally to the fertility of the
0I Sown in corn it adds very much
Il the value of the stalk field, as
iii as to the enrichment of the
YS while the soil itself is prote'
SNE from the washings of late ia
U This method Of sowing yields
three to fifteen bushels Of seed
acre.
Owing to the low price OF W
and the lessening of the yield ca
by continued groupings, the gro'
Of cow peas offers two very pro
ent inducements. AZ the price
received for the latter the pi
must surely surpass those OF "
crons. the weld of peas sown Dl