The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-03-14
LARGE ACREAGE OF
PEAS TO Be PLANTED
FARMERS OF LATAH COUNTY SET
PACE WHICH is BEING FOL-
LOWED ELSEWHERE

There will be a larger acreage of
peas grown in Latah county this year
than ever before and the increase in
acreage will not be confined to Latah
county nor to Idaho, for the farmers
of the northwest are taking a deepJin-
terest in pea growing and as Moscow
is regarded as the center of the pea
industry in the northwest, scores of
letters are coming in every day from
all parts Of the northwest and as far
south as Texas, asking about peas
and seeking information about their
care and cultivation. Many farmers
near Moscow, including E. j. Arm
bruster, James O'Connor and many
others are in receipt of many letters
from farmers in this and other states,
asking about peas. c.. A. Hagan re-
Gently gave an interview to the news
paper in which he predicted that
peas will become the leading feed for
hogs in the Inland Empire Mr. Hag-
an promptly received a letter from a
man at EHensburg, Wash, asking
about peas, how to raise them, where
he can get seed and how they are
fed, whether threshed or in the straw
James O'Connor says he has received
so many letters he plans to have a
form letter printed to answer the
questions
H. N. Wilson of the firm of Wash
burn & Wilson, says his firm has sold
100000 pounds of seed peas already
this month and demands are coming
in from all parts of the northwest.
This means seed for 1900 acres has
been sold by this firm and pea seed
ing will not begin for two or three
weeks yet The firm has 10 men and
women operating 10 machines for
hand picking the seed peas and they
are then fumigated and inoculated
During the past two weeks the firm
has received 13 carloads of peas for
treatment and these peas are to be
used for seed. In the neighborhood
Of Pomeroy, Wash, enough seed has
been bought to plant more than 1000
acres of peas.
G. P. Lyon, living three miles east
Of Moscow, who has just completed
picking 1876 sacks of Blue Prussian
seed peas by hand, intends to plant
the entire amount, which will plant
1876 acres. Mr.. Lyon said: 'If I did
not get one sack per acre I would
plant peas instead of summer fallow-
ing because the peas leave the ground
in better condition for wheat than
fallowing. The pea roots
seem to prevent the soil from pack
ing" But Mr.. Lyon makes big
profit from raising peas in addition to
leaving the land in fine condition for
MS fall wheat. Last year he got 61a
sacks of peas per acre from 60 acres,
and they brought him $10.40 per sack,
Or $3.50 per acre, which is not a bad
return on land that would otherwise
nave been summer fallowed and pro-
iuced no crop. Last year was very
Try and the pea crop. as well as the
grain crop was very light. He thinks
le ought to get twice that many sacks
n an ordinary season and five times
hat many sacks per acre have been
grown in this county.
James O'Connor, one ofthe pioneers
n pea growing in this section, who,
With his sons, raised 500 acres last
year, is preparing to plant large
this year. Mr.. O'Connor said: |
When farmer gets his land inocula-
ed he hates to quit raising peas be-
,ause each year he gets better crop.
feel sorry for the man who raises
lis first crop of peas on land that
las been growing grain for many
years, for he is frequently disappoint-
ed Being macquainted with the |
growing of peas he is apt to fail to
yet his ground in the proper condi-
ion or neglect to fumigate to kill the
1ea weevil or neglect to inoculate the
seed with culture and if he fails to do
my of these he is due to disappoint-
nent The culture is obtained from
he University of Idaho, which makes
t in large quantities and sells it at
,ost 1t costs about 25 cents an acre,
nut it is the best investment the pea
,rowers can make for without its use
lis pea crop is apt to be light. After
he ground has raised crop of peas
t SENS to get incubation and each
crop is apt to be better
han the first"
Mr.. O'Connor tells an interesting ex-
.erience he had feeding hogs this win
er on a mixed ration of shelled corn,