The Winslow mail., 1911-04-01
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.

The Canada field pea is perhaps
one of the most important and valu-
able crops, both for forage and grain,
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 a
mixed or mongrel sort, which is large
ly 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, and
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 variety of ways. Good results
are sometimes obtained from sowing
them broadcast on the sod and cover
ing them with the breaking plow, 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 we'll 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
it will not germinate. 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
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
ing 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, i. e., it grows, blooms, and ripens
seed as long as there is moisture and
absence Of hard, freezing weather.
The amount Of irrigation will de-
pend upon the length Of the season,
and somewhat, also, on the heat of
the summer. Where summers are
hot, flood irrigating will blister or
otherwise injure the pea plant. Fur
row irrigation is better They may
be kept growing by irrigating often
enough to keep the soil moist.e We
have found that on good, loamy soil
four irrigations gave yield of ripened
peas of 94% bushels per acre. and
about four tons of vines, while seven
irrigations gave little larger growth
in vine, but only 19 bushels of peas,
because they did not get ripe. On ac-
count of it's adaptability to different
soils, different ways of planting, ease
Of farm management and response to
dry farm methods or irrigating prac-
tice, the field pea is one Of the cas-
lest managed crops.
The pea is both forage and a grain
crop. Pea hay properly made is a
roughage unexcelled by any other.
Poorly made pea hay is poor stuff.
Good pea hay is a valuable feed for
any kind Of live stock. It has been
found that over-ripe pea hay, pea
straw, or that which has been spoiled
in the stack, is dangerous to horses
cattle, pigs or sheep, because it
causes indigestion and impaction.
These troubles are absent when prop
erly made and cured hay is fed. The
threshed peas are highly nitrogenous
food. They are specially valuable for
young, growing stock. Except for
lambs or pigs which have good teeth
and can grind their food, peas should
be chopped or ground. Pea hay
which contains ripe and partly ripe
peas will make the horses slick and
shiny in the spring and will put good
fat on any kind of stock.