23 



The Grass peas have been grown in the trial grounds at the col- 

 lege for at least nine years, and have given good results, except in 

 1902, when they were a partial failure owing to the cool weather and 

 excessive rainfall. In the average results of tests made for a period 

 of seven years it is found that the annual yield of grain has been 25.7 

 bushels, and the yield of straw 2.2 tons per acre. In 1900 the yield 

 was slightly over 43 bushels per acre. The grain has been excep- 

 tionally heavy, the average weight per measured bushel being about 

 64 pounds. In comparing the results of the Grass peas with the 

 Golden Vine peas (the common, small, white pea of Ontario), for a 

 period of seven years, we find that the latter has given an average 

 annual yield of 1.4 bushels of grain per acre more than the former ; 

 but that the former has given a yield of 4-5 of a ton of straw per acre, 

 and grain which has weighed fully four pounds per measured bushel 

 more than the latter. 



In the averaf^e results of 27 co-operative experiments conducted 

 throughout Ontario in 1901, the Grass pea gave about 3-4 of a bushel 

 per acre less than the Early Britain variety, and 1-2 bushel per acre 

 more than the White Wonder variety. 



To compare the value of Grass peas and Common Tares, or 

 vetches, for green . fodder, seed of these varieties was distributed 

 throughout Ontario for co-operative experiments in the years 1897, 

 1898, 1899, 1900, and 1901 The average results of these experiments 

 for the five years were Grass peas 6.7 tons, and the Common Tares, or 

 vetches, 6.8 tons per acre. 



Egyptian Peas. The Egyptian pea is a leguminous plant, grown 

 extensively in the Mediterranean regions, and in Central Asia. It 

 has many common names, such as the Coffee pea, Chick pea, Idaho 

 pea, Gipsy pea, etc., and is scientifically known under the na.me of 

 Gicer arietinwm. It has been used as feed for cattle, and also as an 

 article of human food for upwards of 3,000 years. The seed is some- 

 what larger than that of the common pea, and is enclosed in a short, 

 thick, hairy pod, there being from one to two peas in each pod. The 

 plant itself is seldom used except as a soil renovator, but the yield of 

 grain is large, and is ground into meal which makes a very valuable 

 stock food when fed in much the same way as cotton seed meal. The 

 straw is of little value. As a human food the peas are used in various 

 ways. The ripened grain is sometimes prepared for the table in much 

 the same way that we prepare our Canadian beans for culinary pur- 

 poses. It is also sometimes roasted and used as a substitute for coffee. 



The average results from growing Egyptian peas in our experi- 

 mental department are a yield of one ton of straw and 35.6 bushels of 

 grain per acre, the grain weighing a little over 62 pounds per meas- 

 ured bushel. It will, therefore, be seen that the Egyptian pea is a large 

 yielder of grain. It is, however, slow in reaching maturity, and pos- 



