Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-03-13

rem $ Extra early. others in 20 DAYS
like the Whippoorwill and still
others in from % 10 30 days. The
latter ones are as q rule the heaviest
forage makers. The early Black pea
IS about the best that could be used
in Southern Maryland, but the Clay
and the Whippoowill are both good.
The late growing sort known as the
Wonderful. and formerly called the
Unknown in the South is rather too
late in maturing for this section.
But il is an upright and immense
grower and when once il IS acclimat-
cd would probably succeed as Il has
IN Delaware. The hope of aarscnl.
ture in Southern Maryland and all
OF the South lies in the COW pea.
The crop that viii feed stock and at
the same time feed the soil has a
combination of qualities that render
IL capable of bringing prosperity to
the farm and the farmer alike. To.
bacco growers in Southern Mary
land have been practicing the plant
ing idea with tobacco for generations,
and have not grown rich at it. Try
tobacco farming with peas at the
bottom and get rich.
As to the quantity OF seed to be
sown per acre of the COW pea, il the
crop is for hay or the general i'm
provement of the soil by hogging
down or plowing under when ripe.
one bushel broadcast is about right.
II for seed then sow in drills about
half p bushei per acre and cultivate
like beans. Never plow under the
peas when green in warm weather.
rs there is danger that they will
sour the soil 10 such an extent as 10
do more damage than good. The
most profitable way TO use the crop
is by making hay of it, feeding to
cattle and returning the manure TO
the land. A good growth of peas
should make two tons of hay per
acre worth ten dollars per ton for
feeding, and by feeding this we can
get its feeding value and by saving
the manure carefully we can return
TO the soil seventy FIVE per cent of
the manurial value.
Many farmers think that the pea
vines are very hard to cure as hay.
This is great error have cured
Y~ss - - ---------y-s---- -and
never had any trouble whatever. L
cut the peas wEcr the are NOT wet
with dew and I.l them lie till the
next day. Then after the dew is
dried of l rake them into winrows.
The next day when dried of rake
them into shocks. and as soon as /
can take a good handful and wiring
il hard and can see no sap run to the
twist, ! put the hay, while still limp,
into the barn and pack it in as large
a heapas possible Then let it alone,
and il will cure nicely. 1t will get
quite hot, and if you get scared and
60 to string il you will let in the
germs Of mould and will have mould
ly hay. But il undisturbed il will
cure perfectly bright. Some Of our
growers in North Carolina pack the
limp bay into rail pens and then cap
the pens with "A stack Of straw and
1t cures perfectly In fact if put in
to heap il will cure anywhere.
But il should always be protected
from the weather as il will turn very
black if stacked ont unprotected,
though cattle will still eat il readily.
With the cow pea and corn fodder
the farmers Of Southern Maryland
will need no pasture except "a per-
manent pasture and there will be no
need for the pasturing Of their cult
waited lands, unless il is found de-
sirable TO Craze the peas instead OF
cutting them. Still il will be neces-
sary to cut some for winter use If
the cattle feeding is to be made sue
cessful. With the valuable food
products ls that R can Ps rGEeE9b 9bii ss5aatiii sss5aatii
ern Maryland should not supply the
Washington market with the best Of
beef, and compete in a profitable
way with the West. 1t can be done
and il should be done.
w. +. MASSEY.