Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-06-04

cowpea Culture.

No one particular of the details of
Improvement in farm methods has
been more pronounced and remarka-
ble than that of the great develop
ment and extension of the culture OF
cowpeas. Probably not a farmer
can be found who does not appreoi-
ate, in greater or less degree, the
value of this crop, both as direct
resource for animal food and as an
unexcelled restorer and renovator of
the soil. Almost every farmer ie
ready to discuss the merits of this
great plant, and all on the affirma-
tive side. There is no issue between
them on these merits. This una
nimity (well nigh) of opinion is by
no means the result of quite recent
growth and development. 1t is the
outcome of long confined, favorable
experience, reaching back further
than many of US now living can re-
member. Fifty years ago it was the
common practice among Georgia
farmers to plant peas in the standing
corn at second plowing, or SOW
broadcast at the third or last plow-
ing. The main object was to secure
ripe 'peas in the hull" to be gath
cred by the slow process of hand
picking, to be used as food for the
COWS in milk and to be shelled for
seed and for use even on "the mas
ter's" table; or the ripened and
ripening peas were left in the field
for the cattle and hogs, after gather
ing the corn. The practice of SOW
ing the grain stubble fields in cow
peas was rarely practiced "before the
war;" and cowpea ebay" was an un-
known quantity. 1T was quite the
universal custom to turn in the cattle
and hogs, horses and mules after re.
moving the shocks of wheat and
oats, and Craze the stubble fields
until the corn fields began to be
available for pasturage in Septem-
ber and October.
Still less was it in vogue, in those
days, to devote field to the COW
pea as the main crop and not as a
"catch CROP" or "go- between"
The subject of cowpeas was sug-
gested by the fact that the beginning
of the season for planting is at hand.
Indeed, cowpeas may be and some-
times are planted even in April and
will do we'll if the dreaded cool morn
ings in May shall not put in an ap-
pearance. In Middle Georgia and
most parts of the middle cotton belt,
May l is as early as any considera-
die area of planting should be made.
The planting season continues until
August three months-and this
long planting period is one of the
points of advantage possessed by the
cowpea. Apropos of the subject,
the Alabama experiment station has
recently issued bulletin on "Cow-
pea Culture" by Prof. j. F. Duggar,
which contains some interesting re-
suits. These agree in the main with
similar results of experiments made
at the Georgia experiment station.
The following are selected para
graphs from the summary" with
which the bulletin (No. 118) opens
"Cowpeas may be planted in May,
June or July. For the production
of seed, planting in June has been
most satisfactory.
"Subsoiling and lining failed to
increase the yield.
"In one test broadcast sowing
afforded larger yield of hay than
did drilling and cultivation, but the
latter method is more certain to
afford a fair crop of peas in an un-
favorable season.
"The number of pounds of dry,
unhulled peas required to shell a
bushel of sixty pounds varied be-
tween seventy eight pounds with
Brown-eye Crowder and ninety
pounds with Wonderful.
"Fertilizer experiments at Auburn
on soil repeatedly fertilized showed
very slight gains from any fertilizer,
but on poor, sandy or loamy soils an
application of acid phosphate, with
or without potash, is recommen led
In three tests acid phosphate proved
superior to crude or raw phosphate
GAS compared with the velvet
bean as a forage plant, cowpeas have
the advantage in convenience of cur.
ing and in palatability, but are at a
disadvantage. on certain soils by rea.
son of the susceptibility of cowpeas
to the attacks of the nematode worm
and of several fungous diseases. Vel
vet beans and beggar weeds were