The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-08-11
THE COW PEA AS a FORAGE
FEED AND FERTILIZEEt.

rule halt appreciate the COW pea as 4
forage, feed and (ertilizing crop. There
is nothing they can grow on the farm
that begins to equal it, and conditions
being anything but favorable, a good
average crop is almost a certainty.
As an upbuilder of poor, sandy. and
overworked soils, it is especially va
liable. In all-around value there is
but one other legumc that surpasses
it, and that is the Florida velvet bean.
But for speedy growth and early ma
turity of seed, the COW pea stands at
the head. 1t is wonderful nitrogen
gatherer and is therefore exceedingly
valuable both as a green feed, dry
forage, and renovator of the soil.
They root deep, hence stand drouth
we'll in almost any section, north or
south. Twelve to twenty thousand
pounds of green forage per acre, and
from twenty or thirty bushels of seed,
is not an uncommon yield, and with this
mass of leaf and vine to turn under rs
fertilizer, or to cut and cure rs dry
feed, or use for silo, must necessarily
be Of great value. The matured pea is
especially valuable for all stock on the
farm, at everything will eat them as
greedily as they would corn or oats.
Hogs do specially well on them, and
to turn them on to a pea field they will
fatten perfectly.
So grow crop successfully plow
and fit your ground nicely, marking
out in rows 8 to "a inches apart one
way, running north and south, the bet
ter to let sun penetrate between rows,
dropping seed in drill row an inch or
so apart, and covering about three
inches deep, or if you like you can
drill feed with an ordinary wheat drill.
When plants are large enough to cul-
tivate. run over field with weighted
harrow. paying no attention to rows.
thus freeing your ground thoroughly
of grass and weeds. II your ground
is not too foul, this will he all your
crop will need.
Most all of the COW pea family are
quick in fruition and maturity offruit,
rarely taking over sixty to eighty days
from date of planting to harvesting of
crop. This makes, therefore, 4 speci-
ally valuable crop for the central and
northern section of our Union where
seasons are inclined to be short. This
legume will do fairly well and will
make you crop from light, poor.
sandy, or clay soil, but always bear in
mind the richer the soil the better the
crop. In the different sections Of the
country plant this pea the same time
as you would corn if you want to Sc
cure crop of seed. If for forage, dry
feed, or fertilizer only it can be plant
ed much later. There is nothing gain
ed by seeding before ground gets fair
ly warm; neither would l plant too
late, as the leaf and vine is tender, and
quite susceptible to frost. Any time
between the first of May and middle of
July will do for the north, and any
time after April lst for the south.
Much loss and disappointment may
be avoided by knowing the varieties
best adapted to certain sections of oar
country. In the southern states the
Eureka No. l, the unknown, clay and
black, and in the central aud northern
sections the Eureka No. ?, black, black
eye, and whippoorwill are the best. In
all the varieties named l would use at
least bushels of seed per acre, to in
sure good stand and best results.
The Florida velvet bean is grand
success in the southern section as 4 for
age, feed, and fertilizing crop, and as
it becomes acclimated northward, it
will prove equally SO there. 1t has al
ready nearly revolutionized the green
forage, dry feed, and fertilizing prob
lens af the southern states. The Soy
and SOFA beans also have great merit
as feed, forage, and fertilizer, and
having acclimated in the north are
counted good and valuable crop to
grow.-We Farmers and PIanterS
Guide.
\ commercial traveller on his trip
called upon wcll-known chemist. lie