The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-02-10
PEA GROWING PROFITABLE
IN VICINITY OF MOSCOW

That Latah county will have 10000
acres planted to peas this year is the
estimate of conservative men who
have watched the growth of the pea
industry here and of farmers who are
planning to raise peas on more ex-
tended scale this year than ever. This
industry, started a few years ago on
a small scale to test the profit pro-
ducing phase of plans suggested to
raise something on the land when it
was desired to "rest' it from raising
wheat instead of summer-fallowing
has developed into big industry, pro-
ducing enormous sums and big profits
for the farmers. AS high as $1OO
per acre has been received by farm
ers here for peas grown en- land that
would hav been ummer-fallowed, and
the succeeding wheat crops were big
, ger than those grown on summer-fal-
lowed land.
Peas have yielded all the way from
10 to IS bushels per acre in this coun-
ty under normal conditions with from
| 80 to 35 bushels regarded as a good
crop. During the past two years con-
ditions have been unfavorable for peas
as well as all kinds of grain, yet big
profits have been made during these
years. In 1917 prices were higher
than ever before, ranging up to IL
cents pound. In 1918 prices had
dropped far below those of the pre-
ceding year, but were higher than
pre-war prices. The prices paid here
for peas of the 1913 crop ranged from
four cents for White Canadian to
$8.12h per 100 pounds for Alaska
peas and $7.10 for Blue Prussian.
More than $4,000 was paid by one
firm, Washburn & Wilson, for peas
last year. The peas for commercial
sales went as far west as Seattle,
where they were reshipped to Alaska
and to the Orient, and east to New
York, where they were shipped by
boat to France, England and Belgium.
Raising peas is like all other kinds
of farming, the success depends upon
the care used in selection of seed and
in preparation of the soil, and in
cultivation and handling, more than
upon almost any other combination
Of work. In fact work and care will
yield better results in pea growing
than in almost any other kind of
farming. But the successful pea
growers here are the men who have
been successful in other lines of farm
ing, such as wheat growing and stock
raising, The best farmers get the
best results. -
Pea growers say that the most i'm
Portant Item is the selection of seed.
This should be hand-picked. 1t costs
little more and the difference in re-
suits is remarkable, yield and quality
of hand-picked seed being much better
and the price received for the product
of such seed commanding a much
higher price. If a straight variety
is grown it brings much more per
pound than mixed varieties. Hand
picking insures the variety
Then the next step is to fumigate
and inoculate the seed, Weevil is
foe of the pea and fumigating the
seed gets rid of the weevil. Then, to
get the best results, the seed must
De inoculated. The University of
Idaho experiment station provides the
dope" and instructions for this or
here are commercial inoculating and
plants that do both for a
small charge.
There are many men in the vicinity
If Moscow who have made a great
success in raising peas. Among them
IRE James O'Connor & Sons, who
'aIsed 500 acres; E. d. Nichols, who
aises from 200 to 300 acres each
vear; E. ]. Armbruster, J. S. Thomp-
on, N. Williamson, G. P. Mix and
many others.
E. D. Nichols has been very success
ul. His first crop was raised several
ears ago, he being one of the pion-
ers in the pea raising industry in this
ounty. His first crop was White
canadian and Alaska peas. He got
yield of 49 bushels of White Can
dian and 80 bushels of Alaska peas
er acre and got four cents pound.
ealizing more than $1OO per acre.
ast year, although the crop was very
ght, owing to the unusually dry sea-
on, Mr.. Nichols got more than 500
er acre for his pea crop and he had
big acreage. Peas have yielded
'om $50 to $110 per acre in this
ounty every year since pea growing
,arted here many years ago The
act that the first men to raise peas
ere are still raising them is re-
arded as strong evidence that the
'op pays.
The Alaska peas bring the highest
rice as they are food pea of high
lality. The Blue Prussian is next
price and is a good yielder. The
'hlte Canadian is stock pea, bring
g the lowest price, but is a heavy
elder and pays well as a rule.
The demand for peas for seed and
n commercial uses is in excess of
e supply. Washburn & Wilson of
oscow have shipped peas for seed
far south as Dallas, Texas, and
over the states of Washington,
regon, Idaho and Montana Latah
unity isfurnishing seed peas for
st territory this year
T.. A. Meeker, who owns the Opal
ock Farm near Moscow, had an in
resting experience in raising peas
r feed last year He sowed oats
d peas together, using the White
madam and sowing 120 pounds of
as and 70 pounds of oats to the