The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-05-08
COFFEE PEA"
A RICH PLANT UNDER CULT1vA-
TlON IN COLORADO.
1t F1ourishcs in Arid Wastes, Fat
tens Cattle, Makes Delicious
Drink and May Have
Great Future.
II HAT Colorado may eventually
|, become the source of coffee
sunniy for the conntru il MT

,
may seem at first blush, says DENY,
letter in the Chicago Hines era(,
: Through series OF experiments ,
the State Agricultural College a vii
; pea has been so tanned that it gives
very good substitute for the Braz
bean.
1t is known as the Idaho coffee pea
owing to its having been found in tha
State growing in rank profusion. Co.
orado is the first State to make
speciality of the introduction CT tn
pea for fodder for animals and foo
for man. 1t is equally palatable TO
both and possesses such remarkably
qualities that it would not be sur
prlsing if it obtained regular stand
ing III the economy of life.
!, For the past two or three years thu
pea has been growing in favor amons
the farmers of the Cache la Poudrf
Valley, in which the college is located
and the present season will witnes!
the production Of large quantities O.
it for stock TODD, for which purpose
it is probably not e1celled by any
crop grown in this IttituGe.
The plant is anative os Idaho, where
it grows wild, its fruit being usec
mainly as substitute for coffee, on
infusion of the leaves having been used
for generations by the Shoshones 10.
fore they ever had any knowledge OF
the imported article. Settlers who
invaded the West in the zoos gave the
plant the name of the "coffee pea. F."
tor want of letter expression.
Scientifically it is the cicer areitinum.
and is said to grow wild in some parts
of Europe.
The first known of it in Colorado
was in the spring of 1893, when
Charles d. Pennock of Bellevue, Lari
mer County, received few of the
seeds from Wood River, Idaho. These
were planted, and Mr.. Pennock was so
pleased with the results that he con-
tlnued experimenting with the plant,
giving year by year little larger area
to Its cultivation until he had accumu.
lated seed enough to supply several of
his neighbors with what they needed
for experimental purposes and also to
meet the calls for it from other sec.
tlons of the country.
This was in the spring of 1896. As
q result OF this distribution of seed.
several ceres were planted in the valley
OF the Cache la Poudre last year to the
Idaho coffee pea. Success attended
these experiments and the value of the
crop has been clearly established. One
farmer, John G. Lindemier, raised $50
bushels last year and sold nearly the
entire crop at good prices.
Those who have fed it to stock saw
that its tattening properties have no
equal. 1t has been found to take one
half less of It than corn to fatten an
animal. As food for mich COWS the
tests have proved satisfactory, the
COWS giving one.third more milk than
when fed on bran, and butter made
from the milk in winter is as yellow as
that made in June. The ration is pre.
pared by soaking the peas until thew
become soft, by cooking them, or
grinding and feeding the meal. The
latter method is preferable because it
gives the best results. Stock prefer it
n that way to any grain, and do bet.
;er. The average ration for working
1orse is three quarts day. 1t puts
lorses into excellent condition, gives
hem sleek, glossy coats and keeps
hem in good health. About the same ,
alton per day is sufficient for milch .
ows or fattening stock. Hogs require
rom one to three pints of the meal to 6
feed. according to the size of the {
nimsl. I
The plant is easily cultivated and is t
rolltic. A single stalk produces from (
900 to 400 pods. IL 1896 Mr.. Pen
ock thrashed sixty.eight bushels, c
lachlne measure, from the crop OF +
IDAHO coffee peas grown on less than !
1ree'quarters OF. an aero of ground. I
nd considers 1000 bushels to the acre II
q ordinary yield under proper cul. T.
ire, the soil and climate conditions !,
ngfavorable. Itthrives best planted d
drills three feet apart. The plants G
|ould stand fifteen inches apart in the q
w. ono seed in place requiring a.
'out fifteen pounds of seed to the n
re. 1t should be planted as soon as Q.
e ground becomes warm in spring. N
'out corn planting time, and hoed
ID cultivated in the same manner o.
m. When the plants get good
'rt they completely cover the ground, n,
that weeds have no chance to inter- al
70 with them. 1t is low spreading e1
ant, sometimes measuring four feet b,
ross, with short, stout stems, each m
wing many branches with thick. al
TX green compound pinnote leaves, tb
vered on the underside with hairy ar
.nds. The pods are formed at the mr.
IL OF every leaf, and contain from AZ
9 to three peas. he
The Idaho coffee nna orowo ord