Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-20
FEW CROPS CAN
BE USED BETTER
-. THAN COWPEAS

Few crops can be utilized in as
For centuries they have been grown
for human food in Asia, Africa, and
in the Mediterranean region of
Europe. In this country, particular
ly In the southern states, the crop is
commonly used for this purpose. but
it's most important use by far Is in
the feeding of live stock, being util-
lied for soiling, hay, silage, and pas
ture. It Is also of great value as a
green manure crop to increase the
humus and nitrogen content of the
soil upon which 1t is grown. These
are points brought out in Farmers
Bulletin 1853, Cowpeas: Utilization,
recently published by the United
States department of agriculture,
which discusses not only the utiliZa-
tion of the crop, but the methods of
growing and harvesting it for each
of its various uses.
Cowpeas, according to the bulletin,
are not grown for seed more gener-
ally because of the uncertainty of
the crop, the expense of harvesting,
and the comparatively low yield OBJ
tanned. In localities well suited to
~ OuuCIIOA IL villa NC 1OuAiO IIISoAAJ
profitable to grow cowpea seed on a
large scale. especially il the best ma
chinery for handling the crop is
used. The seed has a high feeding
value, but is rarely cheap enough to
be used as feed. 1t can be stored
for a considerable length of time
without much danger of loss of vi
.ality. AS it is subject to attacks
from insects, especially the cowpea
weevil, the seed produced in southern
states should be placed in cold Stor-
age, the bulletin recommends.
An Excellent Forage
Cowpea hay is an excellent forage
Tor all kinds Of stock. Even the
straw obtained from thrashing the
peas for seed. is valuable stock
oe cut for hay before the pods be-
gin to turn yellow. The best quail
!ty is produced and the hay cures
most readily if the vines are cut
when most Of the pods are full
grown and a considerable part of
them matured If cut before this
stage the vines are watery and diff
icult to cure, while if left too late
before cutting there will be an I'M
necessary loss of leaves in handling,
and the stems will be tough and
woody The hay is somewhat difficult
% cure, but with attention to the
stage of growth and to weather con-
iitions little more trouble will be
experienced in obtaining well cured
.owpea hay than clover OF alfalfa
lay.
The bulletin recommends that cow
yea hay be substituted in the south
ern states for much of the hay now
purchased from the north and west,
i Weld of from one to two tons to
The acre can usually be expected, and
frequently under favorable condl-
ions a much larger yield is secured:
Cowpeas alone have not given good
results as a silage crop. In adpl- |
ion to the high protein content. The
rreen vines contain a large proper
lion of water, producing a. watery
;ilage that keeps poorly and is not
we'll relished by stock. The best ST.
age is obtained when this crop is
crown with corn or sorghum.
Although pasturing cowpeas is not
thought the best farm practice, un-
der certain conditions it is advisable
md quite profitable. Any kind of
live stock may be pastured on cow
peas, but hogs are generally used.
The best time for turning the stock
on cowpeas is when the crop has
reached the stage of maturity
thought best for hay.
AS a soiling crop, the cowpea can
be used advantageously to supple
ment crops with less protein, such as
corn, sorghum, and millet. 1t is used
more as a soil-builder than any 9TH
err legume, because it is so easily
grown, has such a marked effect up |
On succeeding crops, and thrives I'M
der great diversity Of conditions.