The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-07-25
cowPEA HAY
Reply to an Inquiry from q Kentucky
Correspondent.

e&s'ehyt ihuteaos We ho'O $500
Quested to furnish you information re-
garding cowpeas for hay. In comply.
ing with this request will say that
We are always pleased to furnish such
Information whenever II is desired.
We will cover the subject In gen
eral way, but II there Is any specie
phase CT Il A.cut which ycu desire
further informat en- will be rlecs od to
take II Up ca .ca Ing from CT.
Authorities agree that cowpea hay
Is very valuable forage crcp. rar "tns|
close to clover and alfalfa, and is Goa.
sidered better than timothy. Some
stock raisers use their cowpea hay
for feeding cattle and sheep but prefer
timothy and other grasses for feeding
horses, claiming that they are better
for horses than leguminous crop.
In some cases this may be true. but
cowpea hay, clover hay, etc, are fed
quite generally to work horses and
colts.
The time for seeding ranges from
last OF April to even as late as the
middle Of July, depending upon loca.
! ton. In the latitude Of Kentucky be-
| tween the first of May and the middle
| of June Is usually considered the best
: time for planting cowpeas. However,
: even when planted later than this they
give very satisfactory returns. The
one thing to watch out for is to plant
| late enough to avoid danger from cold
weather In the spring. A few cold
days after the cowpeas are up may do
serious damage by stunning the plants
J The ground should be in first-class
condition, and should be thoroughly
warm before the seed Is planted.
The method of planting depends
( somewhat on the purpose for which
the peas are to be used. II grown for
hay, the peas may be drilled by the
use OF corn drill at the rate Of
four or five pecks to the acre. Some,
however, prefer to put In as high as
two bushels. This latter quantity
will give little finer texture OF hay,
but will not yield as many peas as II
sown In smaller quantities.
| A corn drill is often used by plug.
ging up number of the delivery
spouts, and in this way drilling the
rows about 80 inches apart. The corn
planter is used in some cases, and the
peas are cultivated the same as
drilled corn, or the rows may be
double, thereby making the distance
between them Just one-half as wide as
between the rows Of corn.
Cowpeas are often sown broadcast
and give very good results when sown
in this way. II requires more seed
than II the drill Is used. This method
is never used when the crop is grown
for seed. Cowpeas are also often
sown with corn the last time OF cult
walton. This is perhaps because OF
the effect the cowpeas have on the
building up of the soil.
The principal difficulty in growing
cowpea hay is that which comes from
curing the same In some cases the
mixture of cowpeas with some other
crop is easier to grow than cowpeas
alone. It was found at the Alabama
experimental station that Whippoor
will cowpeas combined with German
Millet grow a good forage crop, There
is some difference in the time of ma
turing of these two crops. but Is not
great enough to seriously affect the
results. This experimental station
recommends the growing of German
Millet with the cowpeas as a means
) OF aiding the curing of same.
In harvesting cowpeas for hay, care
. should be exercised to handle the croI
SO that the leaves will not be lost
This part OF the plant is very nutri
tious, and the usual method, and one
, that has given fair satisfaction, is Il
, cut the peas with a mower early II
the morning when the season is favor
able, then stir up by the use OF ha!
,, tedder as soon as the tops have be
come well wilted. II no tedder 4
! available the hay should be raked in
to windrows, and allowed to remain II
> this condition until the exposed part
ure thoroughly cured. but not until tn
} leaves will break on 1t should thel
be shocked In small cocks, and al
lowed to stand in this condition 70
/ two or three days II the weather will
. permit.
, The use of canvas covers for ha,
{ cocks during the wet weather has beei
] found to be very satisfactory, but
is also rather expensive. Cowpea ha
should not be stored unless It Is thoI
+ oughly cured, because II stored before
II is apt to become mouldy and spoi
Cowpeas should be cut for hay whe
: the leaves begin to turn yellow. TIL
more mature the plant, the easier an
ouicker will the hay be cured and O
the other hand, If the plants are gree
. longer time will be necessary to cur
for hay.
g Under favorable conditions 1t ha
Q been found that the length of tim
] required to mature peas after sowin
J. varies to some extent, but general
J. the Warren New Hybrid will matur
o In 81 days; Warren Extra Early in G
days; Whippoorwill in 80 days Taylc