The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-09-18
correspondence Progressive Farmer.

For Horses and Cattle.
Correspondence Progressive Farmer.
The COW pea vine is worth as-much
as the cotton plant to the country,
perhaps more, for it grows much
farther North and thrives on vast re-
gions in which cotton will not grow
at all. The cow-pea has three-fold
value. Greatest of all is that it in
creases the fertility Of every acre on
which it is grown and increases it
faster and more economically than
any other crop as easily, surely and
widely grown. Then the pea itself is
of high value as stock food, nor do
men with sound appetites despise it.
Third, as a forage the pea vine hay
is beyond comparison the best food
that we have ever used. Shredded as
we shred it, its actual value 10 US is
fully twice that Of average timothy
hay OF course chemical analysis
does not show that difference, though
| believe it shows considerable,
difference in favor of pea vine hay.
In estimating its value | consider the
great relish of all the animals for it,
their superior condition and working
capacity, and the lessened ration of
grain that will keep them up while
fed on it.
The value of pea vine hay as a for
age depends very largely upon its
proper curing, probably more than
any other forage whatsoever. The
curing of it is the simplest, easiest
thing in the world. | don't know
how l came to adopti unless it was
owing to my belief that the best
things are the simplest things, the
best ways the simplest ways. New
ertheless this mode of curing is OF in
calculable value to us. For it not
only cures the hay perfectly but there
is no worry, no element of uncertain
ty as in all other modes.
We cut the pea vines with a
mower drawn by two horses. One
machine we'll hondled will cut nearly
ten acres day. A cutting blade
could, of course, be used for small
acreage. Right behind our mower
follows force putting up stack poles.
Any ten foot pole will answer as it
has to stand only short while. The
pole set we nail strip of wood
readily riven from pine or any wood
that splits easily-about four feet
long, placing it about one foot above
the ground, and Immediately above
another similar strip nailed cross
keep the bottom Of the stack Of vines
from resting on the ground and rot
ting in wet seasons. Brush will an
swer as we'll or even better though it
is not practicable where a grea,
many stack poles are to be protected
We but up about 1000 stacks every
fall We have cured vines withou,
any rotting at all when no projection
at all was used at the bottom of the
T stack.
Well, the stack poles planted we
follow right behind the mower ant
make stacks of the vines as high al
the poles and about four feet in diam
: eter, sloping and smoothing th'
stacks at the top SO as to shed water
No more attention or thought neee
be given the stack till the vines are
sufficiently cured to be threshed ant
shredded. And beautiful and mos
, excellent lot of forage you will hav'
too. All cured green and sweet. /
, tastes sweet almost like sugar cane
) The shredding should be done as
: soon after the vines are cured a
practicable, as the longer the stack
stand the deeper the weather affect
5 the vines. Besides bad weather j
1 apt 10 come later in the fall and hin
/ der the shredding.
We have found above mode to worI
: perfectly even in seasons like 1901
he wettest ever known here. NJ
neighbors who let their vines lay L
cure or even 10 wilt had them badl
t damaged. We went right ahea'
t reaping and stacking every hour tha
the standing vines were not actual
, wet with rain and lost not an armfu
r Of forage.
| Having thus to our complete salts
5 | faction settled the vexatious matte
Of curing the hay we plant one hun
: dred acres of peas annually. The rs
suit is that we have an abundance {
5 excellent forage TO use and much {
sell. Our work animals are the won
der and admiration Of the neighbo'
A hood. Though their work is tn
Y heaviest in the county, our two bur
) dred acres Of strawberries redulrin
at least eight plowings from May t
September to keep them perfect
5 clean. | have calculated that on
: horse in giving these eight plowine
: would have TO travel nearly 300
r miles.
The stubblc fields from which tn
1 vines are cut are plowed under
5 soon as practicable. apd in Octobe
t or November plowed again and pr
D pared for strawberries. When tn
T strawberries come of The fields al
E again drilled to peas. BY this tots
a ton our land. the poorest in tn
= county it was said when we started
r has become about the best. The pea
e fit the soil for any crop. but the
= seem just the thing to put it in pc
o feet tiith for strawberries. Our field
P are rich in humus, just the conditio
d that the strawberry revels in, f1ou
e ishing like the green bay tree. Ar
It through the pea has come the sa
:. vation OF our land and ourselves.
II O. w. BLACkNALL.
5 Vance Co n C.