Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-04-19
Grasses and FORAGE Plants.

10 UdSt~ NhpCllLIlcli
and close observation~for twelve wear
Among the forage crops treated al
cowpee, Which Home and Farm ba.
TO. many years, lone so much to brin
INTO profitable cultivation.
The writer says: The cowpea is I'm
questionably the best summer CROWN.
legume for the South. 1t is perfectly
adapted to our soils and climate.
There are a very large number Of
named varieties of cowpeas, and new
ones are constantly appearing, due tc
variations in habit of growth, color or
leaf, stem, pod and the color and size
of the seed: or its physiological charac-
teristics. The most important variety
recently developed is the Iron, which is
wilt resisting on our commonly called
"pea sick lands" As soon as some
~"iety has attained sufficient local
utation. a name is given to it, and
sooner or later the supposed new vari-
ETY. is placed upon the market. In this
way one variety may be cultivated IN
a dozen different localities under as
many names. or 4 dozen different vari-
cites may bear the same name. We
have at present t%hirty-one so-called
varieties growing. [ have no doubt
but that when they are carefully COM
pared and notes completed. that the So
called varieties will be reduced at least
twenty-five per cent.
Almost any land will grow cowpeas,
but like other economic plants the
J, H. l,rI +ho 1onrDy, tho orop
when grown for hay; frequently rich
lands fail to produce anything like a
fair crop of peas. Many of Jul sandy
and silly soils are so-called pea sick"
OH which all varieties except the Iron
are attacked by a fungus. Drainage
seems to have no effect on the appear
2nce of the disease. rs damage from
wilt is as great on we'll drained high
soils as on low soils which are not
well drained. Comparatively little wilt
is known on our Southern soils, which
contain an abundance of clay. The
past season is the first time 1 have no.
ticed the wilt appearing in the Pied
mont region. Then it did not attack
the we'll established varieties. only
some recent crosses which had not be-
OF we'll established. The wilt is at
present much less e on loam and
clay soils. and so far as my observation
goes. is largely confined to the coast
and lower pine belt regions. In many
localities the plants wilt so badly that
1t is improbable to attempt to grow
any other variety than the Iron. This
variety is a compact, vigorous grower
of medium size. somewhat trailing in
its habits. but less so than the I'm
known. The foliage is dark green, pos
SeSsing a peculiar blush luster that
distinguishes this variety from others.
1t is of the clay type. It holds its
leaves under adverse conditions of
drouth and disease better than any
other varieties. 1t remains green up
to frost. even if plants contain many
ripe pods.
The cowpea has various uses in
Southern agriculture. 1t is used eX-
- t~enSiyoly rs a catch crop on truck or
grain lands: is used as a full season
crop for the purpose of improving the
soil; for hay and for the seed. The
seed of some varieties is used to supply
the table. The inferior varieties are
used extensively for stock food.
The preparation of soil for cOwpeas
depends upon the season at which they
are planted. If planted early in the
spring and it is desired that they
should occupy the land the entire sum-
mer. the soil should be we'll prepared
and fertilized with 200 or 400 pounds
of acid phosphates and 100 to 2oo
pounds kainit per acre. If planted In
corn, they may be planted in the siding
burrows late in the season, and cult
waited in the operation of ~cultivatlng
the middles: or they may be soWn
broadcast before the last c~ultlvatlon
and worked in. If Owl after grain,
the most economical method is to sow
the peas on the stubble and cross dlsc
them in. l have harvested as sood
crops of hay after the latter method as
when the land was plowed.
The amount of seed to plant depends
upon the use to which they are to be
put. If for seed, they should De plant
ed in rows about three feet apart ana
seven to twelves peas planted every
eighteen inches: this will take about
one-half bushel seed per acre. Ii
planted as a catch crop, or for hay, 1t
is generally better to plant them broad
cast at the rate of to two bushels
per acre.
Cowpeas make excellent silage, but
are somewhat difficult to haul and pass
through a silage cutter in the green
state. owing to their usual tangled con-
dition. [ have seen as bright and free
of mould silage produced from pea
vines as from any other plant.
The chief use Of cowpeas In the
South is for the purpose Of soil i'm
movement and for hay. The yield OF
Ehay depends upon the fertility of the
soil on which it is grown, varying from
Bone-half to three tons cured hay per
acre. When grown for hay, 1t is gen