The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-06-11
.COWPEAS I'M
PROVE SOIL
As y as Make Good For
afor All Stock.
Every Farmer Should Grow a
Small Crop-at Least Two
Good Varieties.

All farmers who live where cowpeas
wild mature should plaCt some this
season and make a test of their value
for not only will they furnish large
quantity of forage or hay, but they
are great soil inprovers as well, leav-
ing the land in much better mechani-
cal condition as well as richer In
nitrogen, by reason CT tire quanhify
of that element which has been ex-
tIacted from the air and stored in the
tuberoGes found on tie roots Of every
thrifty oorea plant.
| There Is no crop so we'll fitted to
build up worn out land as cowpeas,
which at the same time furnishes a
palRtable and highly nowishirg feed
for every animal on the farm. Cat
tie and hogs Will thrive exceediniy
ON cowpea pasture and the hay will
be eaten eagerly by horses and little
grain will be required. 1t is far better
than timothy and one Of our best
authorities asserts that ten of cow
pea hay is more pea vines contains
1874 of total dry best timothy hay.
One hundred pounds Of green cow
pea vines contain 164 of total dry
matter of which ten poruds are di-
gestible. TIE green cowpea vines ar
more sueculent than red Clover or
any OF the grasses that contain less
dry matter per total weight Cowpea
forage or cowpoa Lay has approxima-
tely the same nutritive elements CON
tanned in alfalfa, red clover or ohLsr
legumes so their value on this source
is indisputable but they have advnn-
tages not enjoyed by the clover family
and these are they will make crop
the same year they are planted and
they grow ard thrive on land where
1t is impossible TO get a stand of az
falfa or clover, being far less choice
as to both soil ard weather con-
ditions, the only precaution to be
taken is not TO plant till settled warm
weather, Cor in cold wet soil the seed
will not show their kindship to the
bean family.
There is no better preparatory treat
ment of field intended for alfalfa thun'
to plant oowpeas and the same is true
of clover. On land that runs together
and bakes hard as soil devoid of hui
mus will, clover can never succeed,
but on such land a crop or two of
cowpeas viii make wonders, losenicg
up the soil and putting it in fine
shape for those legrumes which are
more choice in their demands.
EARLY Era is one of the very quick
est maturing varieties and is of erect
growth. This viii mature after wheat
Whippoorwill, which is one of the
best known kinds, takes two weeks
or more longer to mature than the
new Era 1t is of more spreading ard
buslhy growth and is a coed kind TO
plant for hay
we nave uOllCtu lldJ ldle-EONu
peas always make the best and most
seed fer the reason that they do not
make so much vine. II ere is not
familiar with the different varieties
It would be Interesting TO procure seed
of several kinds and plant an ex-
detrimental plot ard take note Of
their habit of growth. time of ma
turing and other facts which would
serve as a guide as to what varieties
to chose for planting in the future.
Cowpeas can be planted in rows and
cultivated they may also be sowl
broadcast or drilled as wheat, or they
may be planted with the corn planter,
and the rows straddled.
Simply as a money crop and without
reference to their fertilizing value,
coVpeas rank among tie most prof.
table Of CROPS ard It is rather sur
prising that farmers are not more
alive to this point.-Colemans Rural
World.