H. I'. I.— 271. 



THE HISTORY OF THE COWPEA A\l) ITS IXTRO- 

 DUCTION IXTO AMERICA." 



By W. F. WiciiT, Amsldnt Botnniat, Tajonoinic Inrestlyations. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The purpose of this paper '' is to give a brief history of the intro- 

 duction of the phmt known as the cowpea (Vir/na inif/uiri/Idta) into 

 America, to establisli as nearly as possible the time at which it was 

 introduced, and to ascertain the region to which it is native. 



oAlthoush the cowpen is the fhiof locriiminous rrop of tlip southern Ignited 

 States, the most diverse and often erroneous ideas prevail in regard to its geo- 

 graphic origin and the time and means of its introduction into American agri- 

 culture. It has been maintained by some, for example, that it is a native of 

 tropical America ; by others, that it was brought from Africa by the negro 

 slaves, and by still others that it was introduced by the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



Because of the bearing of the question on certain introduction and breeding 

 experiments with cowpeas. Mr. A. J. Pieters, then in charge of the seed intro- 

 duction and distribution work of the Department, started an inquiry into the 

 subject, intrusting the work to Mrs. K. S. Bort, who made extensive extracts 

 from the literature of cultivated plants. So many questions arose, however, 

 requiring the consideration of a botanist trained in the critical discrimination 

 of plants and with a wide knowledge of botanical literature, that Mr. W. F. 

 Wight was assigned to the task. He has made a thorough investigation of the 

 history of the cowpea, and in the accompanying paper has brought forward 

 proofs of the principal points in that history, namely, that the cowpea is a 

 native of the Afghanistan region; that it was introduced into the West Indies 

 over two hundred years ago, and that it subsequently was brought to the Amer- 

 ican mainland, gradually extending northward until, about 1797, it reached the 

 latitude of the Potomac and attracted the attention of such a keen agriculturist 

 as Washington himself. — Frederick V. Coville, Botanist in Charge of Taxonomio 

 Investigations. 



6 The author wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. Frederick V. 

 Coville for Latin and Greek translations and for many suggestions ; to the 

 Chinese Legation for translation from the Chinese ; to Mr. S. Stefansson, of 

 the Library of Congress, for translation of Arabic ; and to Mr. C. M. Mansfield, 

 of the Bureau of Plant Industry, for photographs. 



102— VI 43 



