Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-02-06
GROWING OF THE FIELD Pea
out Its Period Of Growth-AIso
Abundance Of Water.

We can see good deal OF stir going |
on especially among the rancbmen at |
the higher attitudes over the field pea |
business and 1t is evident that largely J
increased acreage will be put in this
year. Field peas need cool weather
throughout their period OF growth and
particularly when the pods are filling.
When the field pea blooms in hot
weather the flowers blight and wither
away and but FEW peas form and this
Is what ails its cousin, the soy bean.
in this country, writes II. M. Cottrell
in the Denver Field and Farm. With
rich soil, a deep mellow seed bed
and an abundance of water the held
pea makes an excessive growth OF
vines-five to fifteen feet in length
with few peas but a good hay crop.
With shallow seed bed, the seed rest
ing on hard ground and the water
supply limited, the vines become
stunted, growing to a height Of only
two to three feet and the yield of peas
is frequently fifty bushels to the acre.
Experienced growers usually plant
/ peas on their poor fields as the rich
soils produce vines and not peas.
The Mexican field pea is a mixture
Of large and small peas, gray, green
and white In the mixture there Is
generally a considerable per cent OF
small gray peas. These produce poor
ly podded vines with few peas in
pod and the yield can be considerably
Increased by screening them out before
seeding. Several new varieties as
well as the popular Canadian give
larger yields than the Mexican and
two or three eastern seed companies
are now engaged extensively IN grow
ing them under contract to supply
their trade The Whippoorwill or
southern cowpea will not do at all.
From thirty to sixty pounds of seed
are sown to the acre but we have al
ways recommended from thirty-five to
forty Many growers pillow and thor
: oughly prepare the ground for the pre-
vious crop. seeding the peas on I'M
plowed ground with grain drill stop
ping every hole and setting the drill
to seed about three inches deep. This
Is done to stunt the vines and force
the plants to produce large yields OF
. peas.
, The large yields Of peas come from
early seeding. which means any time
J up to the 18th of April at the higher
= attitudes Seeding in May usually re
2 suits in poor crop and often in tota
S failure. Some experienced growers
h,1 hat FOL nf
peas may be grown at an altitude al
iow as 1000 feet, If seeded in Februar,
but of course this was out of the ques
= ton the present year. because Of thu
:, hangover the winter took on. A
4 such an altitude the pods must form
+ and the peas set before hot day
0 arrive. Early seeded peas often freez
|. down in seasons of late spring frost
6 but they come on again and the yiel
d Is not diminished.
e Field peas are not cultivated. Whe
S literally supplied with water, the
Il make luxuriant growth Of vines beal
Il Ing few peas and may be cut 70
hay; being treated the same as alta
IA When grain is wanted the waite
r. supply must be limited and the vine
a .tunted. When the vines begin to wi
II during the day from lack OF water bu
1t freshen at night, do not irrigat'
T. When the appear wilted in the earl
d morning. apply water. soaking tn
c. ground thoroughly. Irrigate secon
H. time when the peas have again willie
lie as previous to the first irrigation
The rule is to so apply water as I
stunt the vines and keep down tn
- growth to two or three feet and fore
heavy setting Of peas.