The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-22
Two LeguminOus Plants-Thc Won
derfuI Pea and the Sofa nenn.

Cow peas have been grown largely In
the south for many years for forage,
grain and as soil renovator, and late
~ many of the northern agricultural pa
pers have been advising the use of them
in the northern states es preferable to
clover for forage and the restoration of
impoverished soils. says a writer in the
Indiana Farmer. If our northern friends
could have ocular demonstration of the
rapidity with which soils are improved
by the use of this class OF leguminous
plants, IL would not be long before the
culture of them would be as common
as in the south.
There are many varieties. but the Won
derful introduced last season, seems to be
far superior to any of the older kinds.
The southern field or COW pea is actually
bean botannically considered. but long
usage has established the name of pea.
We state this so that there may be no
confusing this with the Canada field
pea, so well known in the north,
The Wonderful. planted in drills at the
rate of one peck per acre, grows first in
upright form 2l2 to feet high. then
branches out from the stalk. throwing
out runners 10, Is, 20, and, in some in
stances, 40 feet long, with large leaves
every few inches on the vine, and from
each leaf stem bearing from one to
four pods, maturing first nearest to the
main stalk and maturing as they run.
The leaves grow from TO "a inches
IN diameter and the pods TO u inches
long, the product OF vine and seed being
double that of the common varieties.
Its profusion of growth with no fertilz-
ing, gathering nitrogen. the most costly of
fertilizers, from the atmosphere leaves the
SOIL IN a richer condition than before tine
crop as grown. The roots 20 down we'll
into the subsoil, bringing up to the surface
valuable plant food that is not reached by
the roots of other plants.
Sofa Beans-My attention was first called
70 II by an article written by the Hon.
Edward Atkinson of Boston, WHO made
the statement that but for the sofa bean
PRINCIPALLY Though a variety of beans are
cultivated there) il would be impossible for
India, China and Japan to support the
hundreds of millions Of people they con-
tain, says T. J. c., in Home and Farm.
The same writer also made the state
ment that a mich COW fed upon the
meal ground from the sofa bean would
give more milk and butter than any
other feed. Now, after reading this and
hearing such claims fnaQe for II BY SO
eminent a stdtistician, al once sent
on for enough seed to give it a thorough
trial. and to say that ] am satisfied does
not half express II.
l find from May to June Is the best
time to plant It. Just the thing to follow
Irish potatoes as it does not bloom until
August, 1t can be planted in corn middles
after the corn is planted out for the last
time.
The sofa makes an enormous quantity
of bush or leaf growth, which Is fine for
silage, or cut while green and cured, for
hay
If left until the beans are fully ripe,
which will be known by the pods turning
yellow. all the leaves drop off, thereby
putting heavy mulct upon the land, and,
of course, greatly enriching it,
The sofa bean grows erect from two to
four feet high, holding its fruit well off
of the ground.
The sofa bean does not climb, but it a
BUSH pure and simple. II does not wind
around the corn stalks, and therefore does
not interfere with fodder-pulling, as COW
peas do; and as they do not bloom till
August the corn crop has fully matured
From a two years trial of the above
named plants, we can indorse every word
of commentator bestowed upon them
AS humas restorers both should be wide
ly popular with southern farmers.