The Arvada enterprise., 1918-05-02

roWs.
(Prspared by tho United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.l
The proper time to cut field peas for
hay 10 when most of the pods are well
formed, since considerable of the nu-
trient value Of the plant is contained
in the seed. When seeded In mixtures
with grain. the time Of cutting may be
governed to some extent by the ma
turity Of the grain, but the varieties
Of peas and grain used In the mixture
should be chosen that the crop can be
harvested at the most favorable Pc
rtod Of maturity for both. Formerly,
. crop Of field peas was considered
very dificult to harvest. and much Of
the harvesting was done with scythe
or an old-fashiOned cradle. This was
thought necessary. first, because the
vines are often tangled and, second,
because Of the loss from shattering
where mower and rake are used. There
70 now available. however. an attach
ment for the ordinary mower which
consists of guards that extend In front
Of the cutter bar. lifting the vines of
the ground. SO that the mower can pass
underneath without becoming entang-
led In the vines themselves. There il
also q windrow attachment which ef-
fectually removes the peas from the
swath and leaves them In a windrow
behind the mower. Where such an at
tachment is not used 1t Is necessary
70 have q man with fork follow the
mower and move the vines to one side,
% that the team and mower will not
pass over the peas In the following
round. The peas can be left in the
windrow or punched with a rake and
left until dry and ready to stack.
When stacked In the open 1t Is neces-
sary to protect the stacks by means
Of canvas covers or with a layer of
green grass placed over the top.
The field pea should be cut for seed
when the pods are fully mature and the
peas have become firm. 1t Is not well,
pods are both dry. since II that Is done
the loss from shattering Is sure to be
large.
II the pens are rained on during the
period while they are curing In the
windrow or In punches, they should be
turned over a. soon as the top OF the
bunch Is dry. II this is not done the
peas underneath will swell and burst
the pods. 10 that when they become
dry a great percentage will shell out
and be left on the ground. Whenever
possible, the peas which are intended
for threshing should be stacked under
u shed. but II necessary to build the
rick outside. II must be protected as
noted for hay.
The threshlnR Of the field pea Is usu-
ally done with mn ordinary grain sep
arstor fitted up especially for the pea
b. the substitution Of blank concave
teeth below the cylinder. Usually four
concave teeth are sufficient to retard
the passage Of the vines long enough
20 that the cylinder will break up the
pods md release the seeds. BY thus
limiting the number of concave teeth
and reducing the speed Of the cylinder
about one.talf II In possible 70 thresh
the field pea without cracking any con.
slderpble percentage Of the seeds.
Pasturine Field Peas.
II is n common practice In some 10
calities to harvest the crop by pas.
turing with hogs or sheep. Many
farmers, however. nre disseminating
the practice Of pnsturing their field
pens on account Of waste md nre hnr.
vesting all or part Of their crop md
feeding Il In q feed lot. A combinn-
lion Of pasture md dry feed has been
found hest. The animals nfter pe.
riod Of pnsturing make better gains on
dry feed than where given dry feed
during tho entire feeding period. Al.
falfa or swcct.clover pasture used In
connection with field pens noticcably
increases the rapidity Of gain.
The field pen II often sown In mix.
lures with small grains. primarily to
hold the vines off the ground and thus
make the harvesting of the crop ensy.
Oats are more often used for this pur.
pose thnn the other grains. although
harley II used TO some extent and
wheat In 4 few cnsss. The yield IL
nearly always larger when oats ara
used than with either barley or wheat.
Mixtures are recommended In all cases
where the crop In to he used exclusive.
u for hay. The presence of oats or
barley 10 the pea hay makes Q better
quality Of feed than pea hay alone.
Pieid psas % oIiaoe.
Il 10 not economical to put the heid
saa In AAa Lila alma m nccouni NJ