The Marshall republican., 1913-06-27
COW PEAS AZ A sou nENoyATon

COW PEAS As A SOH RENOVATION.
Up to within a few years past, II
was not an unusual expression among
Saline county farmers. "You can't
wear out Saline count soil"
Unfortunately. this idea prevailed
so largely and for so long a time that
today. there are thousands OF acres IN
the county. originally the most fertile.
so worm and tired from continued
grain cropping and injudicious hand
ling. that II In difficult. except under
most favorable conditions. TO get n
catch of grass. II Is the opinion OF
n who has had the very best oppof-
tunity OF forming n correct estimate
that. l-3 to " the grass seed sown
during the past five or six years has
been thrown away. at n cost to the
farmers OF thousands upon thousands
OF dollars. When sown the seed GER
inmates and starts off all right. then
short dry spell OF three OF four weeks
destroys the young plants utterly. or
so impalrs their vitality that there IL
a feeble growth. and the weeds soon
oyerxhelm and choke out the crop.
According to our own and other ag-
ricultural experiment stations. and
the experience OF those who have been
growing them. n OF the quickest and
most economical methods of renewing
our depleted soils fs to SOW COW peas.
II the growing crop be fed down In
the field by stock (%cattle. sheep. hogs,
all are greedily found OF them) or n
the crop be plowed under, the fertiliz-
ing effect Is wonderful. II the crop
be cut for hay and removed from the
ground. the enrichment OF the soil.
though marked. IN not so great but
there is compensation in the crop OF
hay. 2 to . tons per acre, worth more
To feed or sell than timothy or clover.
II IL not necessary TO have reserved
ground specially for peas. II one has
n wheat or oats not sow to grass. or.
where the young grass has been
killed. ms Is the case In many fields
already this season. remove the
shocks promptly cutting. by threshing
or stacking. (tthis ought to be done
anyway disc the stubble and drlll In
poas. 'If the the "Ncw Era" be used.
an early r%epening variety. they can he
cut for hay In GO days from sowing.
Then drill wheat and timothy In the
pea stubble. without ~rebreaking or
discing. The result will be surpris-
ing to one who has W. tried II. In
the greatly Increased yield of wheat,
and In the vigorous growth OF grass,
They will both live and flourish in
spite OF ~unfavorable weather condi-
tlons. where otherwise they would
have been a comparative, II not utter
failure. II clover be sown In the
wheat the following spring It will not
die at the bare approach OF drought.
Should II be desired to hold the
land over for corn the next season. u
will be found In as good condition as
a two years clover sod.
The New Era" OF the several var
ieties is considered the best adapted
to this section OF the country. II Is a
bush pea. growing two to three feet
high. Is not so coarse as the long
running sorts. therefore makes a
better hay. and al be handled when
mown for hay as readily as clover.
Sow when the ground is thoroughly
warm. first OF June to middle o. July.
Cut for hay. when first peas begin 10
ripen. They are strictly a hot wealth
err plant. When once up, they def
drought. They are a better money
making crop than wheat, give Quicker
larger. surer returns. therefore,
sow COW peas in every available cuiti-
waited field, in wheat and oat stubble
and stand corn--revive the soil.