The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-04-11
IHE SEEDING OF COWPEAs
WILL YIELD GOOD RETURNS IN
FEED AND BUILD UP LAND.
Prot. M. F. Miller, College Of AerI.
culture, University Of
Missouri.

b should give them a more important
#place in Missouri agriculture. The
short period Of growth also makes it
4 possible to use them to great advan.
Gage as a catch crop between the reg.
4 hlar crops in the rotation. either for
Hhay, for pasture or for turning under.
They are, therefore. especially suited
i 10 the man who wishes to build up
land rapidly while he is at the same
4 lime securing returns from il in feed.
The crop Is one which will undoubt-
edly become OF much greater impor-
fance in Missouri as the land is
EARNED more intensively.
WI There Is a wide range in the time
81 which cowpeas may be sown, even
I'm the same locality. In Central Mis-
souri the best time to SOW them for
bay or seed is about the first of June
"a mistake is frequently made in SOW.
fing them early in May since q period
sof a few cool days after they are up is
sure Ia stunt them and prevent the
II best growth. The ground should be
warm before they are put in. They
B may be sOwn as late as the first week
n in July in Central Missouri, while in
the extreme southern part Of the state
peas sown the middle of July will usu.
ally give fair results. AS a general
rnlc they should be sowu in most
parts of the state between the first
and fifteenth of June
I he method of seeding peas de
Ponds upon the use which is to be
made of them. For hay they should.
as rule. be sown with grain drill
az the rate Of four TO five pecks per
nerc. Some men put In as much as
two bushels. and, while this gives n
finer texture to the hay. It usually re
dnces the amount OF seed formed. On
the other hand, they are often sown
Mt the rate Of three pocks per acre.
but excepting for seed purposes. or on
land particularly adapted to the crop.
such as the lowlands OF Southeast
Missouri, this is rarely enough.
For seed purposes, cowpeas are
best sown somewhat thinner than for
hay. three pecks usually being better
than five. They should not be broad
casted either for hay or for seed on
the uplands of the state. They may
also be sown for seed with the corn
planter and cultivated, making the
rows the same distance apart as for
com, or the rows may be placed at
hall the distance OF corn rows, by go
Ing over the land twice and straddling
every row. In this case II is usually
necessary to take off one shovel on
each gang of n six.shovel cultivator.
and n the axle is adjustable to so set
the wheels as to avoid running on
two rows while cultivatinE a third.
Peas sown AT the usual rate for hay
generally max" good yield Of seed in
favorable seasons. As "A matter of
fact, the yield Of ;hreshed peas de-
ponds not only upon the season, but
also upon the soil aud the variety. A
medium 20 thin soil will produce more
seed than rich soil. and a sandy soil
more than a clay soil az a rule. Nari-
cites like the New Era, which is early
and which has little tendency TO vine.
will yield more peas than later vim
ing variety like the Clay.
Another method of putting in peas
IN rows Is by means OF grain drill
4 where part of the holes are stopped.
Where every third hole is allowed to
run and care is used in driving, the
rows can be placed about 80 inches
apart. which ia Il good distance,
Cowpeas may be seeded in the corn
n the last cultivation, or they may be
put in the row when the corn is
planted
In the first case they are best drilled
in with onehorse drill at the rate
of two or three pecks per acre when
the corn is laid by. To be sure OF a
stand. it Is best to lay by the corn a
little earlier than usual. They may
be brOadcasted and plowed In, but this
method is not so sure OF securing n
stand as is the method of drilling
them. In drilling 1t Is best TO remove
the two outer hoes or discs, putting
three rows in each middle.
Where planted in the row. the best
plan is TO use special cowpea plant.
ing attachment on the corn planter.
These attachments are now on the
market In this case II Is usually rec
commended 10 SOW such an amount of ,
peas that about one and one.half peas
will be dropped for each kernel of
corn The difficulty in putting peas
in the row Is that corn is usually
planted about two weeks before 1t is
entirely safe to SOW cowpeas. This
plan is very commonly practiced. how
ever. although good many men post
pone the planting of the corn when
cowpeas are 10 be planted with It.
Peas planted in this way will make
more seed than where they are sown
at the last cultivation, and they are
especially valuable for hog pasture.
The New Era or Whippoorwill varie-
ties may be used where they are to be
hogged down. although the Black is to
be preferred II 1t can be secured.
Where one wishes to cut up the corn
and peas together II Is best to use
vining variety like the Clay, which will