The Colfax chronicle., 1903-05-09
FARMER AND PLANTER.
PEAS FOR A FORAGE CROP.
One of the Most Important and Prof.
liable Forage Crops for the
south II Peas.

liable Forage Crops for the
south IL Peas.
The time has come when the south.
ern farmer must grow large supplies
of cattle food. The very high prices
of beef and butter. pork and lard
make it very important part of our
business to see what we can do to get
our part of the millions that are to
be made in raising cattle and hogs
| and chickens.
When We begin to study this ques-
ton we feel that one of the most
important crops is peas.
They grow readily all over the
south. They make such a large yield
of forage or hay that it pays to grow
peas as a single crop. But such ID
their rapidity of development that
they can be grown as a second crop
after the small grain has been har-
vested. In this way they come in al
an extra crop and thus greatly lessen
the cost.
Again, they grow with other crops,
such as corn and sorghum, without
any injury to them. They do not,
however, stop at this, but while they
are making a good paying crop they
are also enrichiag the soil for other
crops which are to follow.
This gives them a new and wonder
full value. They not only add plant
food to the soil, but they greatly inn
prove the mechanical condition of the
soil.
This is q very important point in
the south. Our farms are suffering
more from want of pulverization than
from any other cause. We have WORK
ed in our farms SO much when the
soil was wet that we have made count
less millions of sun-dried brickbats.
These little clods seriously interfere
with the growth of all crops. This is
a serious question. Again, we have
scratched SO shallow that we have NO
depth of soil in our fields.
Peas correct both of these condi-
tions. They help to pulverize the top
soil and they penetrate the clay with
their roots, thus deepening the soil.
Peas, then, can be truly called great
soil-improvers.
We first call attention to the use
less waste of seed in the usual way
of planting peas. If your object is
to get the largest possible yield of
peas or hay, or to get the greatest
T. 10 y al
do not need to have them very thick.
A few large, vigorous vines will yield
more peas, make more hay and do the
land more good than number of
crowded. puny vines. If properly put
in you will rarely need more than
peck to the acre. We prefer drilling
in all cases except when laying by
corn and sowing in combination with
sorghum for hay. We are not sure
that drilling would not be best then.
Two rows of peas between each corn
row would give fine results. One
row of peas and one of sorghum ~
inches apart would be a good way to
plant for hay.
After wheat and oats we always get
best results by breaking the land,
bury the stubble with two-horse turn
over and sow peas with planter or
drill. 1t is generally best to have
rows wide enough Ca to 30 inches)
to run furrow between and to plow
them once or twice.
Different varieties seem to do best
in different localities. For gathering
peas we like the bush or more rum
ming varieties. For making hay we
like the runners. As a general rule
the running peas require more time
and must be planted earlier.
Where wilt and other diseases have
the best thing to do is to
plant the most resistant varieties you
can get. The United States govern
ment is doing good work in develop
ing these resistant or immune varie- |
ties. The iron pea is thought to be
entirely free from disease.
White table varieties must be plant |
ed early and cultivated to insure good |
crops. There are several improved |
varieties of these. Some make three |
crops q season.
As the pea SO greatly helps the soil |
by gathering nitrogen from the air,
It seems superfuous to manure the |
pea. But it is not. Manure or fertil- |
izer will pay as large per cent of
profit on peas as on any crop we
yrow. As already stated, the more |
vigorous the vine the more nitrogen |
It can gather. Give them room and |
fertilize them well with stable man.
nre or acid and kainit.
There are thousands of acres of
worn land that will not yield paying
,rops in the present condition. These
ands should be plowed very deep so
IS to hold all the water, and terraced
% as to prevent washing, and planted
n peas. BY this treatment these fields
will very soon be in condition to yield
,aying crops of any kind.
On such lands the peas should be
nanured and cultivated. Then follow
he peas with oats or wheat, and then
ollow these grain crops with peas.
By this method these lands will soon
,e very fertile. Plow deep every
ime between the crops. Always cut