Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1911-04-06
CANADIAN FIELD PEA
One Of Most Valuable Crops for
Grain and Hay.
Excellent Crop for Either Old Land or
Sod and Planted in Various Ways
Length of Season Governs
Amount of irrigation.

that has been introduced into the
West. 1t is both valuable for irri-
CATION farming and dry farming. In
some sections the field pea has revo-
lutionized the agriculture. writes
Prof. B. c. Buffum in the Irrigation
Age.
There are a good many varieties
of Canada peas. The Mexican is
mixed or mongrel sort. which Is large
Iy grown in Colorado. The WHITE
Canada has given us the best results
In all our experiments. There are
several strains of these White Can
ada peas. We are now growing some
from Sweden, France. England. Ger
many and other places. and some OF
these strains are far more productive
than the common ones obtained from
Canada or Wisconsin. Other forms
of field peas offered by seedmen are
Green Canada. Blue Scotchman, ana
several forms of garden varieties,
like the White and Blackeyed Mar
rowfat. The Golden Vine is one OF
the best known varieties.
At higher attitudes. where the sea
sons are cool. field peas do well on
almost any kind Of soil. At lower
attitudes. where the summer is hot.
the cold. heavier soils give better re-
suits. Under systems of dry farming
sandy soils which retain the most
moisture are the best.
Peas are a good crop for either old
land or sod. and they may be planted
In a variety of ways. Good results
are sometimes obtained from sowing
them broadcast on the sod and cover
Ing them with the breaking pillow. but
such method cannot be recommended.
They may be disked in or planted and
covered by any method used for other
seeds. The best way is to use the
press drill. Forced feed drills will
often crack some of the seeds; but
the saving made by drilling the seed
Is very great in spite of this fact.
Many of the split peas will grow, and
the seed put in the ground with a
drill will be well planted. They may
be sown from one inch to four inches
deep.
Field peas should be planted as
early in the spring as the ground can
be prepared. In some places where
the ground is dry. the seed may be
sown late enough in the fall so that
1t will not terminate. At lower alti-
tudes, where the season is long. the
peas may be sown as late as the first
or middle OF July, and they will get
large enough in the fall either to pro-
- duce forage or to be plowed under to
Increase the humus and nitrogen in
the SOIL The best time, however. is
to plant as early in spring as posi-
BILE. February is not too early. If the
ground is thawed out.
Peas are easy things to cultivate
On the dry farm. under the two-year
system. all they will need is harrow
ting with a drag-tooth harrow after
they have come up. Under irrigation
peas may be managed at the pleasure
of the farmer. The pea is what the
botanist calls an indeterminate grow
er. l. e., 1t grows. blooms. and ripen!
seed as long as there Is moisture anC
absence OF hard, freezing weather.
The amount of irrigation will de
pend upon the length OF the season
and somewhat. also. on the heat o
Iu6 w HtI6 AT
hot, flood irrigating will blister o
otherwise injure the pea plant Fur
row irrigation is better They ma,
be kept growing by irrigating oftel
enough to keep the soil moist w
have found that on good, loamy sol
four irrigations gave yield of ripene
peas of 34A bushels per acre. an
b.. about four tons of vines. while seve
irrigations gave a little larger growt
in vine, but only 10 bushels of pea
because they did not get ripe On a,
count of its adaptability to differer
soils, different ways of planting. cas-
of farm management and response ,
dry farm methods or irrigating pra
tfce, the field pea is one of the ca
lest managed crops.
The pea is both for 'ge and a graz
crop. Pea hay properly made is
roughage unexcelled by any othe
Poorly made pea hay is poor stu
Good pea hay is a valuable feed f
any kind of live stock. II has be,
found that over-ripe pea hay. p,
straw. or that which has been spoil,
In the stack. is dangerous to horse
cattle, pigs or sheep. because
causes indigestion and impactio
These troubles are absent when prc
eriy made and cured hay is fed. r
threshed peas are highly nitrogeno
food. They are specially valuable
young. growing stock. Except 1
lambs or pigs which have good tee
and can grind their food. peas shoi
be chopped or ground. Pea h
2 which contains ripe and partly ri
peas will make the horses slick a
shiny in the spring and will put &c
fat on any kind of stock
Ceed