Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1899-07-04

ing them to lie on the ground dur
ing the winter, the latter is I'M
doubtedly sometimes to bepreferred,
though theoretically wrong. The
oretically, TO pillow the vines under
in autumn will be to save all the
available nitrogen and convert the
whole plant into homus. Practical
ly, the turning under of so large an
amount of watery green heritage, is
highly injurious, causing too rapid
decay and consequent burning or
souring of the soil The upper soil
layers, freshly stirred and mellow
ed in autumn, lose more by teaching
and washing than they do in an un-
plowed field covered by its winter
mulch of decaying heritage, though
in both cases there is decided loss
of fertility over what would result
by following the peas with crop Of
rye, winter wheat, the turf-formiug
winter oats, winter vetch, or crim-
son clover. The yields of forage are
better on rich soils than on poor
ones, but the beneficial effects upon
the succeeding crop due to the
growth of this one are not so mark
ed in the former case as in the lat
ter"
A proper lining of the soil, when
the crop has been turned under, is
quite sure to obviate all danger of
"somness. If the turning underis
delayed as it should be, until the
seed pods are advanced enough to
show the form of the seed, there will
be little or nodanger of an injurious
amount of 'warery green heritage.
Lime should always be applied
when green crops are turned under.
THE yield per acre varies ac-
cording to the varieties and the
method of cultivation. Eight to
twelve bushels is fair average OF
the amount that can be obtained
when the peas are planted in corn
rows. Sown alone, broadcast or
in drills, yields from twenty to
thirty-fve and even, in rare cases.
fifty bushels are obtained. The
Black, Unknown, Red Ripper, Clay
and Calico varieties are all heavy
seed bearers. Lady and White
Crowder are good for table use and
also yield well. The Black-Eyed
Red Crowder and Whippoorwill or
Speckled are very widely cultlva-
ted and find ready sale. Those
which make the largest growth of
vines for green manure, as a win
ter soil mulch, for hay or soillng
are the Unknown, Red Ripper.
Southdown and Clay. Whippoor-
will, Black-eyed, White and Red
Crowder ripen in from twelve to
fourteen weeks and hence are
adapted to cultivation farther
north than the very late, but rank
er growing, Unknown, Wonderful,
Red Ripper, Black, and Gourd va
rieties. The New Era and Lee
ripen seed in from six to seven
weeks, and hence are the ones to
recommend for summer soiling
crops in the upper prairie region OF
the Mississippi Valley, or any
where else that an early maturing
cow-pea is required. This is one
of the species of cultivated plants
which is very readily modified by
change of habitat Early and late
maturing forms may be found of
every strain that has been in cul-
tivation for any considerable time.
1.-The feeding value of cowpea
vines is very high, as shown by
both feeding tests and chemical
analysis. AS hay the vines are
more valuable than if fed green
for soiling purposes,
"When cowpeas are planted for
green manure, it is an excellent
practice to turn hogs into the field
about the time that the first peas
are ripening. Young pigs thrive
amazingly on the succulent foliage
and well-flled pods, and the quail
ity of the pork raised on such a |
and nutritious diet is
very fine. This is a very profita- |