The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-09-09

4
almost as common now o. the farms OF
this and adjoining States as the cotton
fields The COW pea fever has been rag
ing ana broadening out for the past f.W
years. and il is destined TO tie the most
useful and economical means Of reclaim
ing the worn and depleted farm lands OF
the South. II is not our object III this
article to speak OF the value Of the COW
pea as a soil Tenoyator. nor discuss the
scientific reasons Why tile COW pea pcs
sess the peculiar faculty OF enriching aud
building up the land upon which they
are sown. The latest ana best methods
of brOadcasting ana curing the crop for
winter feeding should first engage our at
tention at this time
Cow pea hay is most valuable when
when the earliest pods begin 70 ripen
When the pods are about tuo-thirds ripe IL
best Of all times TO start the mower. II
harvesting is done too early there IS less
hay, and it is inferior in quality and
nutriment On the other hand if the cut
ing is too long delayed the stems of the
plant become hard and woody the leaves
drop off, the seed are lost. and the hay
is even less valuable than when cut TOO
early. Peavine hay cures slowly, similar
to clover, as every one must know who
has had any experience With it. II pos
sible the hay should be thoroughly dried
before stacking or placing in the barn.
The plan which | have pursued with sue
| cess for many years has been as follows:
| The mower is started in the morning af-
| ter the dew is off. and cutting continued
| throughout the day until the field is
| moved over.
| On the following day at about oclocl-
! the rake is started, the vines drawn UP in
| 4 % foot
| the weather is open and clear the vines
| are left for two days longer, when they
are hauled up and either stacked or
placed in the barn. If the vines are not
/ fully cured they should be we'll packed
| down by tramping when stored az damp
| vines stored or packed loosely will mould
| and injure. Methods used by other farm
| ers successfully is found in the following
plan: They start their mowers after the
| dew is off and run the machine until
noon In the afternoon the vines are
placed in medium sized shocks and left
| in that condition for two or three days
| to cure if the weather is clear.
| Rain on the green cut vines immediate
ly after cutting does not injure them, nor
do light showers falling later on the
partly cured vines. Seasonable weather
can generally be found at the period of
the weather bureau chart is watched
Three days is all the time required to
cut, rake and cure field of peavines.
| The vines should never be handled or
moved about when damp either from dew
or rain. If the hay is oVcrdriel the leaves
become brittle, drop of, and waste. II
is not a good plan to undertake to bale
the hay in the field directly after curing
There may still be enough moisture in the
vines to cause heating and moulding if
packed at once
BALINC HAY FOR MARKET.
| The safest plan TO pursue in baling pea
vine hay, either for market or home use
is to put the vines in stacks, topping Of
with straw and allowing it to stand for
a few weeks, or pack in the barn under
cover for the same period Of time. When
the sweating is al over and the hay
| thoroughly dried it may then be safely
packed without fear Of finding any mould
IN the center Of the bale afterWard. which
would not only dcteriorate the value cf
| the hay IN price but also its usefulness
and nutritiousness as food for stock.
Balcd pcavinc hay. when properly done.
VIII always command good price in any
! of our local markets.
SAVING THE SEED.
Quite a number of farmers plant peas
in the corn fields, or drill them in sepa-
rate ficlds for cultivation. ordinarily on
small farms the pods are gathered and
the seed thrcshcd out with sticks When
gathered in large quantities, the seed are
threshed out more easily and economical
ly with a pea hulIer. The yield Of pea
vine hay varies from two 10 three tons
Of dried hay per acre, except Oh very
thin land The yield of the seed per acre
when cultivated in rows will range from
S TO 80 bushels per acre. one serious
trouble in saving the seed through the
winter months, is damage from Weevils.
? The same weevil which attacks the gar
den bean, lays her eggs on the COW pods
! before they are gathered In the South
} where the temperature in the buildings
where the seed are stored IS nearly every
day above freezing there are generally
! from two to three br0oGs of ~ecylls
hatched out before spring. The only real
safe treatment OF the seed to guard
, against injury from weeyils is TO use cot
/ ton bisulphide The treatment is Simple
and should be given as soon as the seed
; are ttreshed, and before they are stored
? for winter.
place the seed in tight barrels or boXc.
and then pour in on top OF tho seed abou'
one ounce Of tne liquid bisulghidc fol
$ each bushel OF seed. Then cover th'
7 barrel or box at once with old SACKS =
as to ccnfne the fumes Of the chemica
G md enable il 10 It'll the insects present
5 ! The liquid cvaporates rapidly and boinl
: heavier than air sinks downward pcne
. trating every crayE and creF5ce Of th'
: | barrel in which the seed are stored.
n The chemical while being vcry poison
Gus. does not injure the seed for planting
feeding or for table use. but it is vel,
infammable ard must be kept away from
c the fire After about three days tn
S odor and the poison viii have disappear
4 and all the insects, eggs. etc. among tn
seed killed out. This remedy IS also ef