The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-04-24
WONDERFUL IL TRUE.

Given For All 1t Is WOrth-Can't
Understand It-Pea, Bean, Wheat,
Barley, Corn and Coffee All In Ole
Great Scheme If 1t Will Pan Out
Great Idaho Famine EradicaLOr.
Recently great deal has been said
about wonderful plant discovered in
the Wood River country. The follow.
ing, communication to the Nampa
Leader, tells all about it, we hope:
Under the date, Sort Collins Col,
March 10, 1897. The st. Louis Globe
Democrat describes a plant of great
value to the farmers of the arid regions
known as the "Idaho coffe beam" The
Fort Collins agricultural College has
been experimenting with this plant for
five years, with remarkable results.
The plant grows wild in the Wood riv-
er country Idaho, but so far as known
no attempt has heretofore been made
to cultivate it, and the results will
arouse the most intense interest, when
they become generally known and
thoroughly understood. 1t is a low
spreading plant, sometimes measuring
4 feet across with short stout stems,
each having many branches; the leaves
being very dark green color. The
pods form at the axil of the leaf and
contain from one three topeas or beans
each, there being from 100 to 400 pods
on each plant. 1t should be planted in
drills, rows, three feet apart and the
plants 10 inches apart, one pea in each
place, making about u lbs, of seed per
acre. The harvest will be from 70 to
100 bushels per acre. AS an animal
food it is a wonder, its fattening quail.
tiles having no equal. II takes one half
less to fatten hogs than of corn, and
and as food for mich cows they pro
duce one third more than when fed on
bran, and butter made from the milk
in winter is as yellow as that made in
June. The ration is made by soaking
the peas until they become soft; by
cooking them or by grinding and feed
ing the meal; the latter is considered
the best. The ration for a working
horse is quarts of the meal per day; it
puts the horse in an excellent condition
of flesh, glossy of coat and keeps him
healthy. Hogs require from one to
three pints each per day, according to
age As a substitute for coffee, it is
rich and nutritious, having a better
flavor than ordinary coffee, and some
old coffee drinkers prefer it to Moca
and Java. 1t is known that it can be
used with beneficial results by children
and invalids; it is nourishing without
the stimulating qualities of the coffee
of commerce. 1t is paTched and ground
like other coffee third less being used;
settled with an egg, with cream and
sugar, it makes delicious drink. When
the valuable properties of this wonder
full plant become known and farmers
learn how to produce and harvest it to
the best advantage, it will revolutioniZe
stock growing and feeding in the arid
country. 1t is essentially an arid plant
and is raised without irrigation in Col
orado. In the Nampa country a little
irrigation at the roots would probably
be beneficial, but flooding kills it as
it does the Sage brush. 1t should be
planted when the ground becomes
warm in the spring, hOed and cultivat.
ed like corn. A test last year made in
the rain belt proved failure, as the
peas would not form in the pod. Mr..
Charles E. Pennock Of Bellevue, Lari-
mer County Col, and Mr.. Sands of the
of the semi, arid portion of Nebraska
who tested the pea last year are very
enthusiastic over it, and say "when it
becomes thoroughly known it will
build railroads and bring citizens"
This matter should be be taken up at
once by the Nampa farmers, and thor
oughly tested this year. Seed can pro.
bobby be secured in moderate quanti-
ties, at the College in Fort Collins.