The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-03-07
COW PEA HAY
Reply TO an Inquiry from a Kentucky
Correspondent

Correspondent.
Through our branch office at New
Albany, Indiana, We have been re.
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 it is desired.
We will cover the subject in a gen.
eral way, but il there Is any specific
phase Of 1t about which you desire
further information will be pleased to
take it up on hearing from you.
Authorities agree that cowpea hay
Is very vauable forage crop. ranging
close to clover and alfalfa, and is con-
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 a leguminous crop
In some cases this may be true, but
cowpea hay, clover hay, etc., are fed
quite generally to work horses and
colts. 81.
The time for seeding ranges from
last Of April to even as late as the
middle Of July, depending upon loca.
Etion. In the latitude of Kentucky be-
tween the first of May and the middle
Of June is usually considered the best
time for planting cogpeas. 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.
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. If grown for
| hay, the peas may be drilled by the
| use of a 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. 1t requires more seed
than If 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 sCme cases the
mixture Of cowpeas with some ether
crop is easier to grow than cowpeas
alone. 1t was found at the Alabama
experimental station that Whippoor
will cowpeas combined with German
Millet grow q good forage crop. There
Is some difference in the time OF M
turing of these two crops, but is net
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 crop
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 to
cut the peas with mower early in
the morning when the season is favor
able, then stir up by the use Of hay
tedder as soon as the tops have be-
come well wilted. II no tedder is
available, the hay should be raked in,
to windows, and allowed to remain in
this condition until the exposed parts
leaves will break off. 1t should then
be shocked in small cocks, and al.
lowed to stand in this condition for
two or three days II the weather will
permit.
The use Of canvas covers for hay
cocks during the wet weather has been
found to be very satisfactory, but II
is also rather, expensive. Cowpea hay
should not be stored unless 1t is thor,
oughly cured, because If stored before
it is apt to become mouldy and spoil.
Cowpeas should be cut for hay when
the leaves begin to turn yellow. The
more mature the plant. the easier and
quicker will the hay be cured, and, on
the other hand, IL the plants are green
a longer time will be necessary to cure
for hay.
Under favorable conditions Il has
been found that the length of time
required to mature peas after sowing
varies to some extent, but generally
the Warren New Hybrid will mature
in G7 days; Warren Extra Early in 62
days; Whippoorwill in 80 days; Taylor
in 80 days; Clay in 81 days. This will
vary somewhat In different localities
and nm difforonf Kind of coil h,,t u,;ii