The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-04-29

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and merely serve TO supply food and
stimulate the plant for the time be-
ing. Humus, on the other hand,
affects the structure of the soil,
changing the relation of the particles
one so another, and thus influencing
it's action toward heat, water and
air. It also aids in the disintegra-
ton of the soil particles and provides
an open, porous seed bed so that the
roots of plants can sink deeply into
it and forage over wider areas OF the
subsoil, while in it's decay it forms
certain chemical combinations that
act on the latent forms of foodlooked
up in the soil, rendering them avail
able as plant food.
Of all the crops adapted for green
manuring, none are superior to the
legumes for the reason that they
have the power by means of the
nodules on their roots of absorbing
large amounts Of atmospheric nitro
gen and storing it in the leaves and
stems of the plants. The value of
the work done in this respect by
these plants is hard to gauge from
the fact that organic nitrogen in it's
cheapest form costs the farmer from
IL to Is cents a pound, and as it is
one Of the elements most readily ex-
hsusted in the soil and required
freely by all farm crops, it would be
difficult OF altogether impossible for
the farmer TO supply this need by
the use of artificial forms of nitrogen.
Realizing the vital Importance of
the restoration of the soil texture a
great deal of attention is being given
to the cultivation of various legumes
adapted TO Southern conditions.
More than twenty-five of them were
grown at the Experiment Station the
past year, but of these only a few
offer any promise. Among the more
promising may be mentioned the
cow pea, velvet bean, sofa bean,
Canada field pea and winter vetoh.
Among these TO date the COW pea
stands without a peer. Thus far it
has proved itself to be the best
leguminous crop adapted to the
needs of the Southern farmer. This
is because of the great variety of
crops with which it ray be Guilt
waited, and because of the fact that
it can be so readily utilized on the
farm.
The COW pea ia a gross feeder and
in order TO secure the best results
with it the soil should be we'll sup.
piled with phosphates and potash. 1t
should be deeply broken and sub
sOiled TO a depth of fourteen inches
on heavy lands. This a be oheaply
and effectively accomplished by
means of the subsoiler attachment
on some forms of disk plows. Thor
ough cultivation of the land is half
the battle in producing any crop and
the cowpea is no exception to the rule.
Where it is desired TO secure two
crops of cow peas a year, the pea
should be sown on carefully prepared
land as soon as all danger of frost ia
past. The first crop resulting may
then be out for hay when the leaves
and pods r beginning TO show d
yellowish tinge. In a reasonable
season and on a good soil a second
crop will then be produced and this
is the crop that should be saved for
seed, for a results here are rather
remarkable in showing a much
heavier fruiting with the second
crop than the first. It is thought
that this method will prove entirely
feasible in this State, and it is a sub
ject certainly worthy of the most
careful consideration, for the objects
of utilizing the cow pea in this way
r almost unlimited, and it il very
remarkable to get two crops in one
year. from a plant of suoh high feed,
ing and productive capacity. 1t
must be borne in mind that the COW
pea will not make two crops on very
poor land it will not always make Il
good crop she ,cst year it is grown
on a piece of land. This ia because
the bacteria which live in the nodules
on it's roots are not always present in
the soil and it may take them one or
two years TO increase sufficiently to
assimllate enough atmospheric nitro
gen TO insure a large and thrifty
growth. 1t is not to be inferred that