The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-11-16
THOUGHTS FOR FARMERS.
The Pea Vines.

In the old days pea vine hay was
never moved. After the peas were
gathered, or before, the vines were
pulled up by the roots or cut off with
hoe or grass blade, and piled up in the
field. In that way all the leaves were
lost. One plan was to pack them in q
rail pen, with a layer of rails about
every three feet. That was an unsatis-
factory way. 1t was not good feed and
it was too much trouble to build rail
pens and cover them. So pea vines
were generally left on the ground. It
was very seldom that one saw a field
sown in peas. Their value as q ferti-
lizer was recognized fifty to seventy
five years ago and farmers always coun-
ted on a bette wheat crop after peas.
Corn land. !th peas planted between
the hills Oh one part Of q field and no
peas on the others, showed quite q
difference in the wheat the following
spring.
SAVING HAY.
With a good mower and rake there
is no trouble to cut the vines and rake
them together. The stalk Is very sue
culent and the leaves are abundant
and there is difficulty sometimes in
curing them so that there will be no
loss of leaves and no molding. If: two
or three weeks Of dry weather follow
the cutting it is easy to save them.
Do not cut when the vines are wet
with dew. If not raked the first day
they should be the second. If dews
/ O rn varu h0oy WY n 10 haitian fN roGasfhA
first day. They may lie in small piles
for two or three days, when they
should be put in large cocks, shaped
so as to shed rain. They will soon be
ready to haul to the barn. Some far
mers prepare stakes that have 4-foot
cross pieces on top. They come up
two to three feet above the ground.
The vines are piled carefully on these.
The air space facilitates the curing
and a rain does little injury if they
are topped off right. i
STACKING HAY.
If one has a large crop and limited
barn room, the pea vine will keep we'll
In a stack. A single pole with six to
ten braces nailed about three feet from
the ground and the ends going out 6 to
8 feet will keep the vines from the
ground and give an air space. They.
may be piled uparound thata few days
after they are cut. About half way
from these braces to the top Of pole
nail on cross pieces several feet long to
get another air space. Then top off so
as to turn water. If q very large stack
is needed put up two or three poles
ten feet apart. That will keep the
vines almost as well as if they are in q
house. A mixture of sorghum and
pea vines is easily cured because the
sorghum admits the air, as 1t does not
lie as close as the pea vines.
SOWING soRGUM CANE.
Horses and cattle should never be
stinted for forage. The cheapest that
can be raised is sorghum, whether fed
green or cured and fed dry. tits very
easily cured. Rain does not hurt it
much. That which is not fed green,
should be cut and shocked and kept
for winter, when horses and cattle will
eat it clean. 1t is easy to shock corn
or sugar cane sc that it will not fall
down, provided q shocker is used.
That Is made like a saw horse, but In
stead of the legs at one end q hole Is
bored and a prop used. The light piece
of timber making the horse should
have q hole about an inch and q half
through the center bored at right an
giles to the legs. Make q six foot ham
die that will easily slide in the hol.
Place the shocker with the permanent
legs on ground. Raise the other end
and place prop under it. Then insert
handles through hole. A carefulhand
can then put equal quantities Of sorg-
hum in each angle. The inclination
will be the same. A pillow line with
an iron ring at one end will assist you
in drawing the tops close together,
when they may be tied with one Of
the stalks. When properly set up
these shocks will stand a heavy storm
without falling. Those who have fed
the dry sorghum In winter and spring
find it equal to any forage they can
get. Even the larger stalks are eaten
by mules and cattle.
VALUE OF Hay.
The feeding value of hay should always
O6 cOuSlucICu. mOoU pCoPiS h0fO
an idea that hay is hay and n kind
is as good as another, 80 it Is sound,
well cured and free from dirt. Tim
othy has generally been considered the
best hay. That Is because it is clean
and bales well. But it is inferior to
clover, pea vine, alfalfa and oat hay.
Wheat straw and corn slower fall be-
low timothy in value. Pea vines and
alfalfa head the list, being nearly equal
in nutritive values. They are almost
as good as wheat bran. Wheat straw is
the poorest of all the hay or dry foods
for stock. It has the carbohydrates
or starch equal to red clover, but it is
wanting in fatand protein. The latter
supplies waste tissue, muscle fibre, teeth
and bones. Wheat straw combined
with cotton seed meal would make a
good ration for cattle. Wheat straw,
corn slower, shucks aud coarse swamp
hay are good filters for cattle, but they
will need someof the concentrated food
in protein and starch.
These suggestions ure made in order
that farmers of this State may under
stand that they have forage crops easily
raised and equal to the best that can be
raised any where. Let farmers stick
to peas and sorghum IS the main
crop. If they can get a stand of clover
or alfalfa they will find it very profit
able. .
SEPTEMBER WHEAT.
The busy season is here. Every n
be ready for it. Plow stocks,
wheat drills and all farm implements
be put in good condition, go
that No time will he Lost Mhan thau are