Sharp County record., 1918-03-29
PLANT COWPEAS I
AND SOY BEANS
Yield Valuable Grain and HAY and
ADD Nitrogen and Improve
the Soil.

By L. w. Osburn, Agricultural Exper-
iment Station, University of Ark
ansas.
| One OF the most important forage
crops which can be grown by Arkan-
sas farmers during the present war
crisis Is the cowpea. 1t has a general
adaptation and can be grown on soils
IN any part of the state. 1t is partic-
ularly valuable as crop to be grown
on poor soils since, like other le-
gumes, it uses atmospheric nitrogen
and improves the soil.
How and When To Plant.
The cowpea can be adjusted TO
any sort of cropping system. Plant
ed alone just as soon as the ground
warns up in spring it is ready for
nay or for grazing by hogs after the
middle Of July or in early August.
Planted following small grain it pro-
duces a good yield Of hay or provides
grazing for hogs in early fall. It's abil.
ity to resist drouth is well known and
the coWpea fourishes during the hot
test summer weather. Cowpeas NAV
be planted either in rows or broad.
cast Seeding in rows is an advan-
tage because less seed is required
The rows should be % to SO inches or
just wide enough for cultivation.
About one-half bushel Of seed to the
acre is required, Broadcast seeding
at the rate of so to 30 pounds to the
acre is an advantage on good land in
mat no cultivation is necessary.
Can Be Planted in Combination With
Other Crops.
Cowpeas may be planted in comb,-
nation with corn and this is especial.
ly desirable from the standpoint Of
SOIL improvement. However, cowpeas
grow exceedingly we'll in combination
with sorghum and Sudan grass. On
good lands the planting of cowpeas in
the row with the corn is often prac.
ticed to good advantage when the
crop Is being utilized for livestock.
Cowpeas may be planted broadcast in
the field when the corn is waist high
and make very desirable growth
which can be utilized to good advan.
tage by livestock. It is a very deslr-
able practice, especially on the ordi-
nary uplands over the state. to plant
cowpeas between wide rows Of corn
Cowpeas do not seem to compete with
the corn and good yields OF both crops
may be secured. For this purpose the
cowpea Is an advantage over the SOY
bean since the cowpea utilizes most
OF the entire season for its growth,
whereas the soy bean reaches matur-
ity, leaves falling off and the seed
shedding all at one time.
Varieties To Grow.
Varieties Of cowpeas differ In time
of maturity and In manner Of growth.
Varieties having bunch habit are dc.
sirable since they may be cut more
easily with a moving machine. There
are a number Of varieties which are
very desirable and suitable for grow.
Ing In this state. The Brabham and
Iron are good varieties since they are
wilt resistant, The New Era cowpea
Is medium early variety, especially
popular on bottom lands where too
much vining Of the plants Is not de-
sirable, The Whippoorwill and Croft
are both good seed and forage produc.
ers under most conditions, Certain
strains Of black cowpeas are popular
because Of their late maturity and the
fact that the seed can stand out in
the weather for some time without
rottlng.
Tho Soy Bean.
In addition 10 the cowpea the soy
bean should not be forgotten since II
Ia also a legume, grows we'll on prop.
erly inoculated soil increases the nj
trogen content Of the soil consdern.
bly,, ATS we'll into crop rotation and
thrlves during the hottest summer
weather, It will grow on q variety Of
soils. Different varieties are grown
successfully under the same climatic
conditions "a corn
Prepare Seed Bed We'll,
The seed bed for the 10Y bean must
be we'll prepared and planting can be
done any time after the severe frosts
are over until July I
Varieties For Seed Production,
The Mammoth Yellow Ia the most
common variety grown In this state,
II Ia late In time OF maturity and pro.
duoes we'll Of both seed and forage.
The Mammoth yellow has large vol
low seeds with high oil content and IA
much In demand for paint manufnet.
ure, othervarletles such asths Haber
landt and Medium Yellow have seeds
similar In appearance but are earlier
In maturing and make lighter growth
Of forage Other varieties very suit
| able for feed and forage preduetioe