The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1921-02-17
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FARM BUREAU NEWS.
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Think This Over.


There never was a better tim,
for the farmers of this prairie t.
try out few acres of field peas
than during this coming crop sea
son and prove TO their own salts
faction the wonderful value Of
this plant for forage purposes
and as a soil builder to maintain
the fertility of the land and in
sure their future yields of grain
With the seed at bedrock prices,
one-third to one-fourth of what
it was year ago, every farmer
who has a few acres to summer
fallow should plan a few acres
of peas.
A. cool growing season is es-
sential for the field pea. High
temperatures are much more in
furious than frosts, which are
disastrous to the crop only when
the pods are setting. These eli
matte requirements of the field
pea limit its successful produc-
ton as summer crop to the
Northern states and Canada and
to the high attitudes of the wes-
tern states, such as is peculiar to
the Nezperce and Camas prairies
and the Palouse region.
The variety of the field pea
grown in any region depends pri-
marily upon its adaptation to
soil and climatic conditions and
to the object for which the crop
is being grown. For this partic-
ular locality the White Canada
is recommended for forage pur-
poses as it has a long vine and is
good yielder but is a later ma
turing variety than the Blue Bell,
Blue Prussian or Alaska which
are better varieties for growing
for seed.
Most growers claim that it is
advantageous to fall plow the
land for the field pea, on account
of the necessity for early seed
ing. 1t is usually possible to SOW
a week earlier when the land has
been fall plowed than if it is
plowed in the spring, and the
opening of the soil to the action
of the frost during the winter al
so improves its texture
An important thing to remem-
Der is that the. field pea must be
planted early enough to have
time to set its pods before
the warm weather of summer ar
rives. High temperatures are Of
value only to the pea crop during
the ripening period. The young|
plants are not harmed by light
frosts. In this section, if thel
ground can be put in the proper
condition, from the 18th to the
25th Of April is the most favor
able time.
The rate of seeding must be
varied according to the size ofl
The seed and the abundance of
rainfall. In this locality 100I
pounds per acre for the White
is ample and for the larg-
,r seed varieties such as the Blue
Blue Bell and Alaskas
L25 to $50 pounds per acre is rec
,mmended. The field pea is best
iown with a grain drill, and if
either shoe or disc drill is avail
.ble it should be used in prefer
nee to broadcasting by hand.
To secure the best results, field
,eas, like all other legumes must
lave on their roots nodules caus-
d by the nitrogen-fixing bacter-
a. On ground where peas have
lever been grown before, the soil
nay not contain the necessary
'acteria, and in such cases it will
'e found profitable to provide jn-
This innoculatingl
can be secured from Lae
tate Experiment Station thru
our county agent at cost.
When intended for pasture, the
ield pea is sown alone or with
ut little grain, as it is not nee
ssary in such cases that it be
by some more erect
rowing crop. The animals
hould not be turned into the
ield until the seed becomes hard.
.ambs will fatten on field pea
asture in from 20 to 80 days,
nd a good crop will usually fat
IN from 10 to Is lambs per acre,
ach animal gaining about s 'bs. ]
er month. Hogs in a thrifty
ondition will fatten in from go to {
days, and if not obliged toI
ather their food over too large /
d acreage will make an average S
ally gain of / pound. The best {
ractice, however, is harvesting t
j or part Of the crop and feed a
lg it in a feed lot. A combina- i
.