22 FARM PRACTICE WITH FORAGE CROPS IN OREGON, ETC. 



PEARL VETCH. 



Pearl vetch {Vicia sativa alba) has been grown in the Willamette 

 Valley for a number of years, but is comparatively unknown except in 

 the vicinity of New Era, Oreg. It is so much like the common vetch 

 {Vicia sativa) that the}?^ can not be distinguished except by the color 

 of the seed. The common vetch has a dark-colored, mottled seed, 

 while the seed of pearl vetch is a light salmon color, with a pearly 

 luster. The uses and values of these two plants seem to be identical, 

 with the exception that the seed of pearl vetch, it is claimed, is a good 

 table vegetable, being used particularly in making soup. Its seed 

 probably also makes better feed when chopped. What has been said 

 regarding the uses, culture, and handling of the common vetch applies 

 equally well to pearl vetch. 



FIELD PEAS. 



Field peas {Pisum arvense) are well adapted to the conditions of 

 western Oregon and western Washington. They do well on a large 

 variety of soils, but are especially adapted to clay soils and alluvial 

 bottoms. They are grown for grain, hay, ensilage, and soiling. 

 Peas are nutritious, and the hay and ensilage are eaten with relish by 

 most kinds of stock. When grown for hay about -2 bushels of peas 

 and 2 bushels of oats per acre are sown together as early in the 

 spring as the condition of the ground will permit. AVhen sown at 

 the same time the oats often choke out the peas. This may be largely 

 avoided by sowing the peas first, preferably with a drill, since the 

 seed is difficult to cover, and when they have sprouts on them about 

 2 inches long drill in the oats. This will give the peas the start 

 and they will hold their own much better. If sown broadcast they 

 should be well covered with a disk harrow. Peas should be cut for 

 hay Avhen the seeds in the first pods are just ready for table use. 

 Sown in the early spring they mature for hay from the 1st to the 15th 

 of July. The vield is from 1^ to 4 tons of hay per acre. When har- 

 vested for seed the yield is usually from 25 to 30 bushels per acre. 

 Peas are often sown alone and harvested when mature by swine 

 turned into the field. 



The pea weevil often does considerable damage to the pea crop, 

 especially when grown for seed. When sown late, peas suffer much 

 more from the ravages of this pest than they do when sown early. 

 Since they stand considerable frost they should be sown as early in 

 the spring as the season will permit. Of late years peas fail m some 

 localities from other causes than the weevil. They assume a pale, 

 sickly appearance and the yield and quality of the hay are very unsat- 

 isfactory. In localities where this happens common vetch and pearl 



94 



