The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-29
THE OLD STANDRYs
Contributed by James H. Hard.


 What are commonly called "cowpeas" have been the salvation of the south in the past and will help to save us at the present. They are of infinite variety of form and color, and their name is legion.
 The best known varieties are the Clay, Whipporwill, Speckled, Crowder, and black-eyed. They vary in size from the tiny white Lady pea, which makes a dainty dish, to the solid black almost as large as the average bean, and in color, with every shade in between from snow white to coal black. Some are cream col ored, some ecru. some brown, some are white eyes, and some are as speckled as a guinea. Some have the bush habit and grow only about foot to IS inches high. depending on the quality of the soil and some will run as far as you let them,
 clambering over fences or climbing to
 the top of the tallest corn in the field. Years ago they could be bought for 50 cents bushel, then when the cane planters in Louisiana found out that they absorbed nitrogen from the atmosphere, and carried it down into the soil, thus
 making one of the best fertilizers known, the price went to s a bushel AS people began to appreciate them as table dish, the price began to rise until now some varieties sell at 10 cents pound, or over $5 a bushel. For a hundred or more years negroes and the poorer white people knew their value and appreciated the nu- tritious food at a low cost, but now they are becoming fashionable and can be had at most restaurants and the
 majority of the tables of those who ap- preciate a good thing and are able to buy whatever they want.
 Notwithstanding their infinite variety as to color, form and growth they are all good, as any one will say who has tried them.
 Their most attractive characteristic al this time Is that they will grow any where in the south, and if planted early will furnish snap peas, which some think as good as snap beans, from early sum- mer until frost falls, and the dry peas will furnish food for the balance of the year. Some of the varieties will mature early enough to be harvested and sec ond crop may be made on the same ground.
 and they make also an addition to the beauty of the scenery, for the vines looh luxuriant and the blossoms are a pretty as some of the sweetpeas. and are great favorites of the bees and honey gather | ing insects which can be depended on to | know good thing.
 1 Plant cowpeas, whether your garden if on the chert hills, or among the rocks or is a sand bed, or Is a rich loam, or g sticky clay or in a creek bottom. Plant peas; they will grow, for 1t used to bt | said when one wanted to describe land l that was utterly worthless. 'It Is tot poor to sprout COW peas" Any land tha will grow a weed (and almost any lant
 will do thaD will certainly grow GOV peas Let Paul plant, Apolus will water l Ca plenty), and God will surely give tn increase. If you live outside the city linn | its, keep a hog or two. 1t can be raised
 on what Is usually wasted, and in tn,
 fall you can have hog jowl and blacl eyed peas or peas and bacon. or pea soul with enough bacon to flavor 1t, and vol | can live we'll at low cost
 l Plant peas. They will improve you l soil. If you have more peas than vol
 can eat during the season, let them ma 1 ture. pick them. spread them out in tn garret of your home and then wheneve 1 you want a good dinner. have som <, shelled cooked up with piece of han i or pork, and you will thank me for thi ! advice.
 Plant peas.