Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-09-03
(over Smith College of Agriculture Virginia University


A Cultivated Crop of Cow Peas ION the
Both of these crops belong to that
class known as the legumes, which are
able to utilize for their growth the nj
trogen of the air provided certain nod
ules, or tubercules, are formed on their
roots. These nodules are formed by
certain bacteria; unless they are pres
ent these plants will make but weak
growth, often turning yellow and dy'
ing. If the tubercle forming bacteria
is absent from the soil, the plants, like
all other plants outside OF the legume
class, will be forced to derive the nj
trogen necessary for their growth eX'
clusively from the organic matter that
may be present in the soil, and are
prevented from utilizing the immense
store of nitrogen present in the atmos'
phere, the air consisting OF four-hfths
nitrogen.
The importance Of inoculating the
soil for these crops, by which we mean
furnishing or adding to the soil these
tubercle forming bacteria, therefore
becomes apparent. Each of the crops
requires a distinct kind Of bacteria
and the incubation may be done either
by obtaining three to five hundred
pounds of surface soil from a field In
which the crop has previously been
grown and applying this amount over
an acre of the proposed seeding, or
pure cultures of these bacteria may be
obtained from the Department OF Agri-
culture at Washington and may be APP
piled to the seed prior to seeding.
Both COW peas and soy beans are
ANIMALS, being sown in the spring and
harvested in the fall. Before taking
either of them up in great detail II
may be we'll to make comparison OF
these two plants.
The soy bean is determinate In
growth; it reaches definite size and
natures. Nearly all varieties OF cow
peas, on the other hand, are indie
terminate, continuing growth until
killed by frost Soy beans, with few
exceptions, grow erect. Cow peas are
wiry plants and, therefore, more diff
cult to harvest. Soy beans mature all
their beans at one time. Cowpeas con-
tinue to produce green pods as long
as the plant lives.
Soy beans are less subject to frost
injury both In the spring and fall than
are cowpeas, and are also more re-
sistant to drought and excessive mois'
ture. On weedy lands cowpeas are
preferable to soy beans, and on rela'
lively poor soil cowpeas will do bet
ter if the crop is sown broadcast.
When cultivated the soy beans Will
yield a greater return than the cow
peas.
AS a grain producer the soy bean Is,
in every way, preferable to the COW
pea as it produces larger yields OF
richer grain and can be harvested
much more easily.
The soy bean finds its best adapta'
ton north Of that Of the cowpea and
Just south Of that Of the field beam
Good cowpea and soy bean hay are
fully as valuable feeds, pound fol
pound, as red clover hay and very
nearly equal in value to alfalfa and
wheat bran. Herein lies their impor
lance as farm feeds.
A system Of agriculture without the
use Of leguminous crop, as a source
of organic matter and a nitrogen
gatherer, tends to lessen the pro-
ductivity of the soil and make neces'
sary large OUTLAWS for heterogeneous fer
tilizers, nitrogen being by long odds
the most expensive element OF the
three we obtain when we purchase
complete commercial fertilizers.