Milford chronicle., 1919-06-06
PEA CROP A FAILURE;
REASONS ADVANCED
INVESTIGATION BY DEPARTMENT HEADS
DISCLOSED CONTINUOUS PLANTING
IN SAME FIELD AS CAUSE.
FIELD MEETINGS PROPOSED
At WHICH The PEA SITUATION In THIS
STATEsWILL Be DISCUSSED BY
LEADING AGRlCULTURlSTS.

The almost general collapse Of peas
has caused much alarm among farm
ars and canners as to the mture OF the
naa crop. For what all thought TO
he an Ideal season, that is COOL wet
weather. there has resulted a close 10
j failure. May, with rainfall OF near
IL five inches, proved a disastrous
month for the crop.
Troubles Complicated and opinions
Varied
Oninions among the more success
full growers vary widely. Many HOIu
that the unusually early ana severe
Green lice attack was largely RESPONSE
Bile, with wind and sand storms cohtrl-
buting causes; others that rains were
excessive and too frequent and aside
from the earliness of the lice attack
and the wind and sand injury, the sea-
son was somehow or somewhat re-
aponsible. Some have blamed the fer
tilizer and others, having their first
experience with agricultural salt, felt
fhis new venture was their downfall.
Loses Heavily
After a careful survey Of the whole
district. it is estimated that the crop
will not reach % per cent OF fair
Weld. Many fields will not be cut.
Troubles Caused by Diseases
Two specific pea diseases are re-
sponsible for the failure on the we'll
nrepared and manured fields. The
soils in many fields have become pea
sick. One of these troubles, namely
bacterial disease;-has been greatly ag-
Rrayated and spread by the green lice
as carriers of the trouble, after their
mouth parts became infected. The
disease starts as a sick soil condition
and spreads by rain spattering the
germs on the plants. Severe winds
and blowing sand have been contri-
buting factors. The many wet days
and nearly five inches of rainfall IN
Nav have not only assisted in spread
ing disease but on the weaker soils
have leached out-so much of the nitro
gen as to cause very weak growth.
THESE diseases are introduced in the
soil by the seed. Several other le-
gumes carry these diseases to some
extent.
Findings of the Department Of
Plant Pathology.
In the survey of the pea district made
by the Department of Plant Pathology,
the trouble was common throughout
the district. Some very fine fields
showed that peas had not been grown
on the land from four to six, eight and
ten years, and even in some cases
never before in the memory of the
owner. The fact that many good fields
were found would set aside the pos
sibility that the season was entirely
abnormal, or that wind and rains were
! entirely responsible, for all received
the heavy and frequent May rains and
other seasonal conditions; and many
of the good fields were exposed to
strong winds and sand movement.
Also practically all fields had an early
and quite general distribution Of lice.
The non-sick fields continued normal
and made rapid growth, quickly out
growing the lice. This was not the
case on the sick lands; the lice early
became contaminated with the disease,
and abundantly infected the plants at
the base of the stem. Wind and rains
were contributing factors on sick
soils. On some new fields, with weak
soils upon which 400 to 500 pounds Of
2-1O fertilizer only were used, collapse
from starvation was the chief factor.
However most growers have learned
that peas cannot be grown on run
down lands by use of low grade fertili-
zers only. Unless land is in good con-
dition manure must be used. lnocu-
lation on all good fields was well sup
piled though some growers claimed
not to have used soil or cultures in
getting such good results.
Continuous Culture a Failure
This Season
In many fields examined, none in
peas the second season in succession
showed good results and those fields
which were in for third or fourth
season were practically failures, re-
gardless of how welr the land was pre-
pared, fertilized, manured or when
planted. On such sick fields early
seeding was equally disastrous with
properly fed lands with peas this sea-
son for the first time in four to six
late seeding. On well rotated and
years, they had in nearly every case
a good crop, with little sickness show
ing, though enough was present to
indicate rotation should be practiced.
Recommendations
The Department of Plant Pathology
is anxious to cooperate, though this
season it is extremely limited in funds
for travel expenses. The Department
will gladly assist growers and can
field meetings can be arranged point
ing out the detail the diseases, sick
soils, systems, weak soils, and sug
gest rotations and other means of
avoiding a repetition Of the trouble.
To carry out such a study field meet
ings will have to be arranged this
week Sources Of seed should be
looked into carefully by Gamers. Pea
troubles are severe in districts where
seed is produced.
Discourage continuous culture. Use
at least a 4-year rotation In which,
sod intervenes between pea crops.
Use only well fed lands, preferably
land we'll manured for potatoes or to-
matoes the previous season. Corn
and grain crops are usually too ex-
haustive on soil; however in following
corn and stubble lands, heavy top
Nssing of manure should be applied
Ne fall or early winter.
4ges a;a on your County Agent for adj
ATuesS to arrange field meetings.