Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-04-24
PLANTING PEAS IN CORN
SEEDING AT TIME OF PLANTING
CORN is PREFERABLE.
BY M. F. Miller, Professor of Agron.
omy In the College Of AgricuI-
ture, University of Missouri.

The great value of cowpeas as a
feed and as a soil-renovating crop
should give them a more important
place in Missouri agriculture. Their
short period of growth makes them
especially suited to the man who
wishes to build up land rapidly while
he is at the same time securing a re-
turn from it in feed. The crop is
n which will undoubtedly become
OF much greater Importance in Mis-
souri, as the land is farmed more in
tensely.
Cowpeas may be seeded in the corn
at the last cultivation or they may be
put in the row when the corn is plant
ed. In the first case they are best
drilled in with a one-horse drill at the
rate of two or three pecks per acre
when the corr is laid by. To be sure
of a stand it is best to lay the corn
by a little earlier than usual. They
may be broadcasted and plowed in,
but this method is not so sure of Sc
curing a stand as is the method of
drilling them. In drilling it is best to
remove the two outer hoes or discs,
putting three rows in each middle.
The Missouri Experiment Station is
coming to prefer the seeding of cow
peas in the hill or drill to seeding
them between the rows, especially in
the northern half of the state. Ex-
periments on the various outlying ex-
pertinent fields have shown that
where seeded between the rows they
have materially decreased the corn
yield, in many acting seemingly
as weeds. When planted in the hill
or drill, however, it is best to wait
until the ground is thoroughly
warmed. A special cowpea seeding
attachment must be used on the corn
planter. Such attachments are now
on the market for S on a part of the
makes of corn planters.
The amount Of cowpeas to SOW in
the hill or drill depends somewhat on
the variety of peas. But in general
approximately the same bulk of peas,
should be sown as of corn. Around a
gallon an acre Of the best quality
would be a fair estimate. Peas plant
ed with the corn in this way will
make more seed than when soWn be-
tween the rows, this method being
especially desirable where the corn
and peas are to be hogged down. The
BLACK" cowpea is one of the best
varieties to use for this purpose, al
though the "WhippoorwilP' and New
Era" varieties are also good. Where
one wishes to cut up the corn and
peas together it is best to use a vim
ing variety like the CLAY" that will
Irvine about the stalks. Cowpeas are
sometimes used in this way for silage
purposes with good results, where
they climb the stalks we'll. But it is
generally about as satisfactory to SOY
peas separate from the corn and put
in about one load of peas OF three or
four Of corn as the silo is being filled.
The planting of peas with corn is
n of the cheapest ways of making
pork, while the use of sheep, especial
ly range sheep or lambs, for pastur-
ing these out is also quite generally
satisfactory. The sheep will clean up
the peas and blades of the corn to
the ears without seriously damaging
the corn otherwise. 1t will often pay
well to SOW the cowpeas with the corn
in this way and allow them to fall
down, simply to enrich the land.