THE CULTURE AND UTILIZATION OF THE FIELD PEA 



H. N. Vinall 



Agronomist, Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of 



Agriculture 



INTRODUCTION 



The field pea (Pisum sativum) is verv' closely related to the 

 common garden pea, but the gardejii pea is cultivated primarily 

 as a gTeen vegetable, or as a grain crop for human food, while 

 the field pea is grown for hay or for grain to feed to animals. 

 In many cases, however, the same variety is grown for both 

 purposes. (Fig. 678.) 



Generally speaking, the varieties with wrinkled yellowish or 

 greenisih seeds and white flowers are classed as garden peas; 

 while those with smooth seeds are considered field peas. Some 

 field-pea varieties have yellow seeds and white flowers, while others 

 have colored blossoms and brown, marbled, mottled, or speckled 

 seeds. 



On account of tlie fact that the field pea is more largely growoi 

 in Canada than in the United States, it is frequently called " Can- 

 ada field i>ea," or " Canadian field pea." In the United States it 

 has become a staple crop only in the l^ew England States, New 

 York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the eastei*n Dakotas; 

 but in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana it has 

 also been found well adapted to the climate ajid soil and is steadily 

 increasing in importance las a farm crop throughout all the higher 

 altitudes of the Rocky Mountain region. 



CLIMATIC AND SOIL ADAPTATIONS 



A cool growing season is essential for the field pea. High 

 temperatures are much more injurious than frosts, which are dis- 

 astrous to the crop only when they occur just at the period when 

 the pods are setting. Its moisture requirements are less im- 

 portant than those of temperature; but, other things being equal, 

 it does best where the rainfall is fairly abundant. 



[734] 



