Milford chronicle., 1912-02-16
GROWING FACTORY PEAS.

Is certain degree OF chance In any CrOE
the farmer undertakes to grow, but il
would seem that in growing the pea, we
take more chances than with almost any
other crop. Some years it is too wet fol-
them, and other years, like last year, il
is too dry. Should hot dry winds prevail
during the blossoming period, the yield
will be more or less reduced, while q
long cold rain at this time will have sim
liar effect Aside from favorable weather
conditions (which of course we cannot
contrOD the most important factor in
growing a paving crop of peas, is good
seed. Weather conditions may be ideal
We may prepare our land with the
utmost care and give the most thorough
tillage, but unless we have good seed our
labor will be in vain, and failure can be
spelled with a big F all over the patch.
A terminating test is, as cOmmOnly done,
Of little value Seeds that will germiDate
and show considerable vgoT when plant
ed IN a testing box in warm room, Will
fail to sprOut when put in the cold ground
of the field; again, some that show up
well in the testing box, will not have
strength enough to push their way to the
surface when planted in the field, while
others will make feeble growth OF few
inches and set few if any pods A better
place to make the test would be in a cold
frame or small box sunk to the evel OF
the ground and covered with plane OF
glass Ifthe test shows 80 to 95 per cent OF
strong plants, then two bushels OF seed per
acre is sufficient, otherwise SOW more. 1t
Is very important that the seed be put in
just as early as the ground is dry enough |
to work If the ground can be plOwed
during the winter and left exposed to the /
action of frost and sun, it will be in con |
ditiOn to plant by the time the unplowed :
land would be dry enough to plOw, there
by gaining several DAYS on the start, and
more dollars on the finish Early sown
peas have always done the best with me,
althO' they frequently do not get up any
before those planted several days later
Use some method in plantingthat will put
the seed in deep,say four or FIVE inches, but
not cover at first with more than an Inch
or two Of soil, A one horse corn and pea
planter equipped with plow instead
shoe for opening the furrow does the
work perfectly and is decided improve
ment over the two row corn planter,
common practice is to drag harrow
the land soon after planting; this. think,
is a mistake. 1t covers the seed too deep
and therefore retards early development
VI NliC piauls. II dlSO BtcNGut= tllc hliiihE
of weeds in the row later by filling in
the burrows with the cultivator Should
weeds appear before the peas are high
enough to harrow, weeder will success
fully eradicate them without throwing
too much soil into the burrows. A y
tooth cultivater will answer the same
purpose, altho' less rapidly. As soon as
the plants get high enough, work the
soil into the burrows and at the last cul
tivation throw enough soil TO the row to
slightly ridge It This method keeps the
roots down deep in the cool moist soil
where they will not be easily effected by
drv weather Three workings are usually
sufficient Ga land that has not been
mauured, | use 500 pounds per acre of
fertilizer, analyzng 3 and Peas do
not require large amount of nitrogen,
but, growing as they do IL the early
spring when the ground is cold, it Is i'm
pOrtant that the nitrogen used in a quick
acting or available form Hrnse nitrate
of soda aud Or ed blood are preferable
for the pea crop The most important
element, however, is the phosphOric acid
j is this that makes long pods and ii Is
them with big plump peas 1t also hast
ems maturity. In planting the seed must
not come in direct contact with the
chemicals, or it will be burned. Peas
and beans are easily injured by the caus
tic and saline properties Of chemical fer
.ilizers With favorable weather, good
seed a suitable soil and proper tillage,
the pea crop can be made one of the
most profitable for this section And it
s for this reason that most of us are VIII
ug to gamble with the weather. and
hoping that this years seed will be bet
er than last, we take one more chance
II growing paying crop OF peas and sign
he contract for better or worse.
With what crop shall we follow peas?
While this question has no direct bearing
IN the topic, 1t Is nevertheless of consid-
rabe importance to the pea grower be-
ause, as 1t often happens, the only re-
'enue he receives from the pea patch
pmes from the catch crnp following In
hO0sing We have a long list to select
rom, any one Of which will usually do
veil. Torn or COW peas are the most
frequently used, altho' it seems pity to
evote land to corn, which is so admlra
'ly suited to crops Of a higher market
alue 1t it is intended to use the same
and for factory peas the next year, then
here is no better plan than TO follow
With COW peas or SOY beans. However,
the plan is to grow crimson cOver,
hen pumpkins, cucumbers, or sweet
orn would be better 1t would seem
hat with a factory here for canning
weet corn that this would be a most
xcellent crop with which to follow peas
ne cash returns from factory for corn is
)t usually as much as from peas nr
)matoes, or rather the average amount
eceved per acre is somewhat less. A
air average NipiQ Dpr acre WOuid DrOba-
ly be about tons, bnt taking into con
Iteration the moderate cOst of growing
nd delivering the crop and the high
,eding value Of the fodder when pre-
erly cured l believe it would compare
lvorably with any of the canning crops
,r profit.