Newark post., 1910-06-08

ONO Nalicy. Dul IL > one Oh tllc ldS-
tors upon which the tu ng up OF
much worn soils is dependent. 1t does
not follow that it is the best crop to
grow in the orchard under all circum-
stances. nor is ii the on y fac or II
soil Improvement. hut t fills the bill
in more places than d,es any other
plant.
Being q cgumc, it auemens the
available supply OF nitrogen in the soil;
it's extensive root system makes the
soil more porous and mellow Ii may
be sown late enough, July /. With Us.
so as not to stand in the way Of clean
| cultivation during the spring. A hard,
| lumpy. crusty soil does not resrord
well to cultivation. II it is difficult to
get the land in good shape. a single
| crop oi Cowpeas will mellow it to
| great extent The more porous ard
| spongy the land. due to the growth OF
| Cowpeas. the better it vii withstand
| drought.
Cowpeas add humus to the SOL,
| which enhances its wSter-heldlng ca
| pacity. The fact that the soil tecomes
| more porous also makes it possible to
form better dust mulch by cultiva-
ting. which also increases the post
biity of checking evaporation. The i'll
effects OF bad tilage are overcome
more readily by growing crop OF
Cowpeas than that of any other crop.
| Where Cowptas are to be pastured
BY hogs. varieties that produce mary
seeds are desirable. Among the best
varieties for this purpose are Whin-
porwil and New Era. These s"rts
mature in short time. Some oi til
late sorts also make many seed.
| 1t is well to ascertain what varieties
seed well IN certain localities ard Sc
lect these il they are to be used as feed.
When grown for hay or as a soiling
crop. the seed of the black or. gray
varieties should be plarted as they
make a large growth OF vine and a
fair amount OF seed.
II have tried several methods OF
| planting the Cowpea. such aS broad
casting and plowing them III. putting
!. them in with the gran drill. stopping
each alternate hole SO as MT to get
, them too thick. ard with a one hors"
Camnbell Corn drill with a plate wi b
small holes especially made for pes
: and beans. This last method give:
l | much the best results. With the Corr
} | drill they are put in rows, 80 inche;
, apart for the bush sorts and 80 ;nche:
for the heavy v:neinG sorts Amorn
per acre OF the small seeded varieties
one bushel: and OF the urge seeded
S varieties one and one-hali bushels pc
| acre.
y, Clean culture is given the soil iron
\ early spring until the seeds are plant
D | ed lust as the seeds ere ing III
G the spike toothcd harrow IS started
By the time the peas are five or ST!
inches tall we have been over then
twice Sometimes it seems as thoup
S we are tearing them al out by til
t roots. but we just keep on stirrin
r with the harrow and the peas just gro'
;, that much faster.
: The peas are cultivated until tn
=. vines meet between the rows; this t
j. keep down weed growth aS much a
= anything else. When the growth {
vine is heavy enough to shade tn
ground all over. there will be no wcef
y able to grow and mature seed
O We do not cut Cowpcas ior hay. a
. we prefer feeding them in the field. z
blowing them under. Peas, vines, an
= all
The field OF Peas shown in the fro'
: tispiece was pastured with hogs. The
Or were turned on when the crop Wa
. about half ripencd The hogs ate IL
Peas but paid no attention to the vine
" or the leaves. These they trampe
k under foot. and thsti with the manul
n left by the hogs. when it is all turne
: under will fill the soil full OF decay II
- vegetable matter. which will put it
IS fine condition for corn or potatoes
e. be followed by wheat.
20 On this field ten years ago we cou
produce only IS bushels of corn ar
about 8 bushes of wheat; it viii no
ar yield 100 bushels OF corn and 25
IN | wheat
~ With a rotation OF wheat. cpwpea
II corn and potatoes, and sometimes II
~ wheat seeded to clover for crop
Z hap for the milk cows, we are buildin
'd up our soil and at the same time pre-
A ducing paying crops.
j., Market Growers Journal.