The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-02-19
GROWING PEAS IN
PAL0UsE COUNTRY
CROP EXPERT TELLS HISTORY
OF THIS INDUSTRY AND HOW q
TO PREPARE SEED

Professor F. L. Kinnard, crop ex-
pert of the Washburn & Wilson Seed
Company, of Moscow, who has had an
extensive and varied career in crop
work for the government, state, coun-
ty and agricultural colleges, has pre-
pared for the readers of this paper a
very interesting and highly instruct
i've paper on growing peas. Mr.. Kin
nard has been employed by this enter
prising company which is successfully
opening up new and profitable "side
line" for the farmers Of this section,
because Of his valuable experience in
this line of work. He will assist any
farmer who asks for assistance in the
selection of seed, preparation of the
seed for planting and in showing how
the ground should be prepared. He is
occupying the same position with
Washburn & Wilson that the county
agent occupies with the county and
University Of Idaho. He is at your
service and will be glad to help you
and welcomes calls for assistance, ad-'
vice or instruction. His able article
follows:
The production of seed stocks, more
especially peas, has come to be an es-
C<1UISIlcu 1llOuSLIy Ill tIlC 1Il1duO GAl-
pire. 1t remains for the seedsmen and
quality to point unequaled in the
United States. This can be done, for
no one questions the ability of the
Palouse to produce the crop. Nature
takes care Of that. The grower and
the seedman must unite to take care
of the purity and the treatment of
the seed before planting. When this
is accomplished the grower will be as
sured of the top market. Pedigree in
seed as in livestock is coming to be
absolutely necessary. 4
Some years ago a few of the pro-
gressive farmers, realizing that con-
tinuous cropping to grain could not |
be continued indefinitely, attempted |
the substitution of peas for the waste
full summerfallow practice. The first
results were not flattering but it was
realized that theScrop was new one
and required somewhat different cul-
tural methods from those to which |
they had been accustomed. Today,
artificial innoculation, better tillage
methods and more attention to selec
tion of varieties has placed the crop
on stable basis and it takes its
place in the regular scheme of things
On these ranches with as great a GER
,ainty of returning a profit as any of
the grain crops. Furthermore, cash
return is realized where under the old
an expense of $500 to
$500 was incurred in tilling the sum
nerfallow, the wheat yield following
1as been uniformly as great as that
IN summerfallow, the pea stubble af-
lords an excellent range for hogs, and
,he straw makes feed for cattle and
sheep that compares very favorably
With much of the alfalfa shipped in.
The weevil has made its appearance
n some districts. This insect has
,aused untold injury in some parts OF
he United States. In fact it has all
,ut ruined the industry in those sec
ions and made it impossible to pro-
luce seed. Our climate is not eS-
,ecially favorable to the weevil and
We believe that if the farmer will join
orces with the seedsmen and insist on II
iced free from live weevil and then
practice a rotation of crops, the pest
an be held under control The fumi-
ration of the seed will destroy the live
veevil in the seed, provided it is 4
o detail. If carlessly done some or Il
IL of the insects escape and the field
vhere seeded becomes infested.
General Culture Methods.
Fall plowing is generally recon-
nended so the crop may be seeded
easonably early. The plant requires
ool conditions in its early growth and
y sowing early a large part of the
rowth is made before the hot, dry
eriod. Where land is foul sowing
hould be delayed and several culti- {
ations with disk and harrow given
0 that weeds may germinate and be
illed before the peas are sown. Be-
ause of the relatively slow growth of
he pea plant it does not make sue
essful smother crop and it is neces-
ary to give it moro than an, equal |