The vel•^ limihMl tests iiiiidi* lici-c several vears ajjfo 

 of two ]>atteriis of pea tliresliei-s, oi- hand iiiaeliiiK^, for 

 beatin*; out peas after the poils liad heen picked by haud, 

 failixl to sliow anv 2:reat saviim l»v tlie ma chines tested 

 as compared witli Hailing. As the particuhii* macliinc^ 

 emidoyed were afterwards claimed to be not fair repre- 

 sentatives of those now on the market, we must await 

 the results of further tests before drawing conclusions. 



Our pui*])ose is to continue the experiments as to the 

 best methods of harvesting cowpeas. 



Cluing Cowpea nAY. 



Long exposure to sunshine causes the leaflets, the 

 most nutritious portion of the plant, to drop. Hence 

 cowpea hay should be cured largely in its own shade, 

 that is, with as little exposure as practicable of the 

 mass of ha}'. This is the foundation principle in hay- 

 curing, but its application will vary gi'eatly according 

 to the state of the weather and the succulence of the 

 vines when cut. No definite rule can be given as to the 

 necessary number of hours of sunshine, but a few ex- 

 amples will show the method pursued at this Station 

 under same conditions : 



1898 — ^cpt. 13, A. M. Cut with scythe, leaving vines in 

 small loose windrows. Windrows turned over 

 with fork, having received about 8 hours of bright 

 sunshine, and the exposed leaves having become 

 just crisp enough to cause any perceptible loss of 

 leaves in handling; weather during preceding 24 

 hours had been dry, but partly cloudy. 

 Sept. 11, 1-5 p. M. Piled vines in large cocks, 

 where, the weather being fair, they were left until 

 Sept. 21, when the vines, now dryer than neces- 

 sary, were hauled and stored in barn. 



If rain had been threatened hauling would 

 have occurred about Sept. 15, or else canvas hay- 

 caps would have been placed on the cocks. 



1S99— Sept. 12. Mowed Wonderful variety. Given 12 

 hours sunshine while spreading in swath ; then 



