The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-05-15
FARMERAND PLANTER.
o COW PEAS.

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How They should be Planted as a Land
Renovation.
They should be cultivated in drills,
not sown broadcast, as q renovator of
land.
The objections to sowing peas broad
east are;
l. If sown among corn at the last
blowing, it is usually done too early to
permit the orn to receive the neces-
sary cultivation, and too late for the
peas to mature properly before frost.
2. If sown after wheat or oats have
been harvested, they are likewise too
late. More than this, the time devoted
to sowing is usually needed on culti-
waited crops.
3. The vines are dwarfed for lack of
proper cultivation. Consequently peas
should never be sown, except on rich
land, to be mown as hay.
A pea crop, to give good results,
should be properly stimulated. A per
feet fertilizer contains three elements
nitrogen, phosphoric acid and pot
ash. Acid phosphate and kainit CON
tain respectively the two last. Peas
draw the needed nitrogen from the air,
and consequently do not need a direct
application of heterogeneous manures,
such rs stable, guano, etc. Hence by
an application of the two last elements,
and by growing and turning a crop of
peas in connection Herewith, the first
(~nitrogen), which is by far more costly
than either of the other two, can vir-
tually be grown. By noting this fact
and acting accordingly, farmers "a
reapan immense advantage.
AS a proper stimulant for the peas, 1
suggest an application of 800 pounds of
acid phosphate and 400 pounds kainit
per acre, sown broadcast and plowed
under about March Is. Double this
quantity can safely be used. Early in
April lay off IN drills eight feet apart,
preferable in line with the sun at two
o'clock, and drop corn eight to twelve
inches apart, being half the distance
usually required when the drills are
four feet apart.
Corn requires a perfect fertilizer, and
consequently it will be necessary to
strew a proper quantity of stable ma
nure in the drill. After a crop of pea
vines has been grown and turned I'M
der, no further application of nitro
genous manures will be needed. An
occasional pea crop should be turned
under.
From the LIST to the 10th of June cow
peas should be planted in drills mid
way between the corn rows. They
should be thinned to one vine, six
inches apart. The plants should be
pulled up, not cut off.
The Wonderful or Unknown pea
should be planted about May 20, and
the plants left one foot apart. Some
experiment as to distance, from six
inches to eight feet in the drill, may be
made with both kinds of peas. If you
wish to grow peas, they should have
distance; if vines, they may be thick
er. The Clay and Wonderful are be-
lieved to be the best varieties for all
purposes.
Cultivate thoroughly until the vines
become too large to work.
Early in the fall, preferably before
frost, adopt necessary measures for
turning under the corr stalks and pea
vines. Then sow from one to two bush
els of wheat per acre.. Seventy-fve
bushels of corn, and from 80 to 40
bushels of peas can thus easily be
grown per acre, and from 25 to 40 of
wheat. Clover seed may be sown on
the wheat about April 1, and har-
rowed in. Every farmer should try at
least two acres on the above PLAN
Cor. Farm and Ranch.