The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-03-05
COWPEAS In The COTTON BELT

phid in small open dish on top of
the seed, and a covering thrown over
the surface of the peas to confine the
gas. The vapor is highly inflammable,
and no fire of any nature should be al
lowed where this substance is being
used. 1t may be necessary to follow
a second treatment a few weeks later
as it often happens that some forms
of the weevil are not checked by the
first treatment.
Although there are large number
of varieties of cowpeas grown, COM
paratively few are of prime impor.
tance. Some of the extensively cult
waited varieties are known under Va
riOus names in different sections c
the country%. Varieties of cowpeas ar
distinguished most readily by the col
or and size of the seed, though the!
differ in habit, maturity, disease re
Sistance, etc. The use TO be made
the crop should determine to a larG
extent the variety to be selected. tt
Croft, Rrabham, New Era, WhippOoG
will, Iron, and Early Buff varieties
are desirable for hay production. Thu
Unknown, or wonderful, and most w
rieties Of the Clay, Red Ripper, and
Black groups are somewhat late am
vining varieties, rather DOOR in seed
yields, and are more suited for forage
and green manure. The Brabham an
Iron varieties should be grown wher-
ever wilt and root-knot are prevalent
as these varieties are practically i'm
mune to these diseases. Varieties o
the Biackcye and Crowder groups
and these with white seeds are use,
most commonly for table purposes.
The cowpea succeeds under so ma!
different conditions that It ear Dc
in almost any system OF rotation. 4.
place usually assigned to cowpea5
that of a partial crop planted betvco
the corn rows at the last cultivate
or that of a second crop on land wher
oats, wheat or rye have been !
ested.
COwpeas for hay production ar
very advantageously grown in mixturc
with other crops, giving a greater We
riety and larger yield Of forage. Cor
is also used very extensively in mix
turc with cowpeas, but only to sinai
extent for hay purposes. The me.
widely used crop is sorghum, inciur
ing both the sweet sorghums and k
frs. Other crops that can be used
mixture with cowpoas are soy b~s,-.
Sas:.n grass, SuG Johnson @Iar~.
E.e',->n"=d .o,.a-a hay Is 4 mos
a'1ah.o and na. i.5ar ~ <crl-c, b
;nr nearly equal % H4aa. arG. :.
ing value. It is satisfactory for wor'
took and for beef or milk productio1'
and it gives good results when fed
poultry. Cowpea hay is rather d
cult TO cure, especially if the weati.o
s not Favorable. Although there a
many methods OF curing the hay, Z
are commonly used. One method, sUi
able for any season, requires the Us
Of poles with crosspieces or Of tria
gular frames, about which the gre
cOwpea forage is placed and LETT =
I'll cured. The method most used is {
et the vines Ee in the swath unit
thoroughly wilted, then rake inc
wind-rows, and throw into small, Loose
cocks, which after drying sOmewha
can be placed in large cocks. In cur
ing, care should be taken to guar.
against the loss Of leaves, the mos
valuable part Of the plant.
The seed of cowDeas is rich fee
but on account Of its high price it
little used, except to small exton
for poultry. Only few localities pre-
duce seed on an extensive scale, an
the industry has been found very
profitable. IN addition to the value {
the seed, the benefit to the land an,
the thrashed vines as a source of fec.
are important factors 20 be considered
in the production OF q seed crop. At
the present time the price of seed
ranges from $50 to So bushel, high
er prices being obtained for improved
varieties, surf as Brabham, Croft, and
Early Buff.
The cowpea is an excellent plant fo,
pasture, and with its numerous var
ties affords good grazing from earl.
summer until late fall. Cowpeas are
very commonly planted in corn, and
profit is realized both from the ami
mails pastured and from the increase
of soil fertility from the manure and
refuse vines.
Alone the cowpea does not make a
first-rate silage. When combined with
corn in the proportion of one-fourth
cowpeas and three-fourths- corn it
makes an excellent siIage. It keeps
we'll, is readily eaten by all kinds of