The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-15
THE CULTIVATION OF cow PEAS

dclphia. trough the suggestion OF
Prof. w. f. Massey. Of the North
Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical
College. began some weeks ago TO
awaken interest in the cultivation OF
the COW pea by offering prizes for the
best articles on their cultivation. 1t
prints the best essays in its last issue.
and il is gratifying to know the
prize was won by a North Carolinian.
The Practical Farmer. writing of
this work. pays this deservedly high
compliment to Prof. Massey:
AS we have announced from time
10 time. Prof. w. +. Massey has had
editorial charge of this Cow Pea Spe-
cial. all contributions tC it passing
through his hands. prepared for pub
LEGATION and the premiums awarded
by him. In another article on this
page he speaks enthusiastically OF
the marked extension of the growth
of the cow pea as Il forage and reno
waiting crop. North and West. as we'll
as South. but with characterlStlc
modestN he says little of the main
cause which has produced this mary
eiouS extension Of this valuable crop.
-Nltt Nt IttI titl tiflS III N'tiNi
not be complete nor Justice be render
ed where due. if we did not say Il
few words about that cause. And we
are certain that those who have been
led to undertake the growth of the
COW pea as Il result of their readinG
Of the i. T. feel as we do on this
subject. 1t Is not necessary TO tell
the old readers of the i. F.-thoSe
who have been with us during the
last ten NearS-that the agricultural
interests of the country owe Il debt
Of gratitude TO Prof. w. F.. Massey.
a. the man above all other men. vino
~ responsible for the impetus given
10 the growing OF the COW pea in
the United States. But newer read
ers OF the T.. +. may not possess that
knowledge. Soon after Prof. Massey
became connected with the T.. +.
some ten wears ago. as Il r~e"nlar con
tributor and editorial writer. he com
mcnccd advocating through its col
aims the growth Of the COW pea both
rs 4 r~enoVatng n Il feeding crop.
NJ first his efforts were mainly con
fined 10 the Southern States. and the
border line between North and South
running through Southern Pennsvl-
Nania and down the Delaware PENN
Sular. where experience had taught
him thar ii could be grown with
safety and profit. He hammered
away ut it year in and year out. in
season and out of season. until the
attention of Southern farmers WAS
aroused to its value and their expert
mentS ~~uhStantia1ed all that the Pro
lessor claimed for il. Gradually the
attention Of Northern farmers near
the northern limit OF its supposed
habitat was also aroused. experiments
were made. succeeded. the propagan-
Ola crept slowly ~Northvard. far be
yond the supposed limits OF its sue
cesSful growth. until today one of
the prize articles in this Special was
written in Southern Vermont. where
the COW pea has been grown. matured
seed. and found TO be the most profit
able feeding crop the dairyman can
grow on soil suitable for its produc-
ton. We doubt if Prof. Massey. in
his widest fancy. ever imagined that
from his efforts such Il result would
ne obtained. We say il SoberlY that
We honestly think the Professor has
lone AZ much for the promotion of
agriculture in his in>iStent advocacy
OF the COW pea rs any one man in
the United States. Md we think the
testimonials crowded into this num-
Der Of our paper prove that claim.
The i. +. ch%eerfully and gladly pays
This tribute 10 Prof. Massey. and is
proud that its columns. through his
inStrumentaIitV. haye been the means
in his hands of making this benefcent
revolution in American agriculture.
This number may we'll be called Il
summary of the work which Prof.
Massey has been doing during the
last ten wears in this one direction,
and Il monument TO the success of his
efforts"
Writing Of the COW pea in the Prac-
teal Farmer. Prof. Massey says:
III is plain that the farmers of
the South are at last waking mp to
the wonderful value Of the plant they
have been growing in a desultory
way for generations. In the State
of North Carolina there are ten times
the number OF acres. or more. now
SoWn annually in peas than there
were when we began the battle for
The pea ten wears ago. In the other
States OF the South the increase is
fully Is marked. But the greatest
extension in the culture has been in
those places north OF us where the
cow pea was practically unknown till
the Practical Farmer began TO urge
II on the farmer of the Middle States.
II III 'dN WHEN the ttllioI OF a
Cumberland Valley paper ridiculed
The idea of growing COW peas in
southern PENNSYLVANIA. while at the
very time we had magnificent fields
OF 1t less than p miles south of the
Pennsylvania line. the progress Of its
culture has been steadily northward.
aud today one of our correspondents
from the latitude IF Chicago speaks
OF its priceless value there on sandy
soils. With the introduction OF va
r~ietieS like Warren.s Extra Early,
New Era and the Black Eye so day
pea from Arkansas. il became evident
that there are few places in the
Union where some OF the varieties
cannot be grown successfully. Then
awaN off in Australia and New Tea
land the farmers have read in the
Practical Farmer of this great forage
plant and have been experimenting
with IL successfully. In The great