The Van Buren press., 1899-09-02


IS follows
Green Substance. , 50 pounds PEI
acre dry matter. 81 pounds. esti-
mated 70 contain p pounds Of nitrogen
20 pounds Of phaspa0fie acid and q
ponnds Of potash Rating these mater
las at their market price IN the form of
commercial fertilizers. they would have
a value of 8. so per acre. Adjoining
plots planted to corn gave an average
Yield Of bushels Of corn and SEQ
pounds Of field cured st0ver. Other
plots in the same series s0wn to millet
produced an average Of 555 pounds Of
green substance. Common red clover
sown on similar plots did not attain a
height Of I've inches and failed to
mature.
Cow peas should be sown at the rate
+ Of about one and oue-half BUSHES per
acre on a seed bed prepared about as
for corn. either broadcast and covered
with a corn eultiyator % a depth of two
or three inches. or drilled with an
ordinary wheat drill, set deep.
Avoid sowing too early in the spring.
+ On the Station grounds the best results
have been obtained from sowing from
the first 10 the tenth Of June. If sown
earlier the plants grow slowly during
the cool weather. enabling the weeds
and grass 10 obtain foothold.
If a crust forms On the surface be
fore the peas come up, run light
harrow or drag over this surface to
break the crust and kill the young
weeds that have started. When sown
after the season is more advanced and
the soil is warmer, no trouble need be
feared from this cause. as the COW peas
will grow rapidly enough TO smother
any weeds thai may start. Last season
crop Of one and one half tons of field
cHred hay per acre was grown from
seeding on wheat stubble without plow-
ing after tie wheat had been harvested
July / The peas We're removed and
the land again sOwn IN wheat without
being broken, by September 90. 1t is
common practice in Southern Missouri
- SOW COW peas between the corn rows
inst before the last cultivation, and
cover them at the time the corn is
cultivated IN this way yield IS
obtained, which is liable both for
pasture and manure. II the corn belt
where the whole season is required to
mature the corn plant, This practice has
not been found 70 be profitable.
The varieties best adapted for general
use in this state are For green manur-
ing or for hay, the Clay for hog past
ure, the Whipporwill The Whippor-
will is the earliest variety. and if sown
by the tenth Of June Will IN most sea
sons mature IN time to clear the ground
for sowing wheat that fall We have
just started rotation On the Station
ground that gives promises Of excellent
results. To SOW rye early for winter
pasture, cut the crop i the tenth or
fifteenth Of June either f5f hay or past
ure it down ;then disk the faGd thorough
y, without blowing, and drill in Whip
porwill or Clay cow peas, depending on
how early the rye is removed, and
remove the cow peas as hay by the
middle of August or first ofSeptember,
and drill rye on the same ground again
without breaking the land. The pea
loosens the land sufficiently for rye.
and there should be no necessity for
breaking it in the fall In this way We
are now getting two fair crops "A year
with less labor than il usually required
to get one. This rye field is convenient
to the barn and is used as a sheep and
calf pasture.
The cured vines and pods Of COW peas
make most excellent hay. All classes
Of stock prefer it, and viii thrive better
than on the best clover hay. For cur
ing purposes it should be cut when the
first pods begin to turn yellow. When
delayed beyond this stage loss Of
leaves and peas by shattering will
result The hay is somewhat difficult
TO cure, and requires much more time
and care than any other hay crop. The
hottest, driest time should be selected
for moving, and the peas should be
allowed to lie in the swath as long as
there is no danger Of sun burning, then
should be raked into winrows and
allowed to dry ont as much as possible
there. and if the weather should be
unfayorable for curing they should then
be thrown into shocks and, if necess-
airy, opened again when weather is
favorable If the weather should CON
time cloudy and cool, allow the vines
10 heat in the shock until they reach a
temperature that can scarcely be borne
by the hand Then select some bright
day. throw the shocks open and allow
the vines 10 cool out. This will usually
be sufficient, and they may then be
stacked just as any other hay and top
ped ont with timothy or straw as in the
case Of clover If the vines are still too
green 10 stack without danger Of mold
ing, alternate the peas with courses Of
dry wheat straw The straw will
ab1orb the moisture and enable the peas
% keep without loss.