256 Practical Farming 



South it can be sown with success as late as November 

 from southern North CaroUna southward, but in the 

 Middle States it should be sown in July or August. 



In 1889 when the author assumed a chair 

 Cow pTa^^'"'' in the North CaroUna College of Agriculture 

 and Mechanic Arts, after having had experi- 

 ence with the growing of the cow pea in Virginia, he was 

 surprised to note that the farmers there had not realized 

 what this crop could do for them as a regular part of the 

 rotation for the improvement of the soil and the feeding 

 of cattle. He began to lecture on the value of the cow pea 

 at farmers' institutes and in articles prepared for the agri- 

 cultural press. The result of his efforts surprised him, for 

 not only in the South but in the Middle and Northern 

 States farmers began to inquire about the cow pea, and 

 to-day there are hundreds of acres grown where one was 

 seventeen years ago. 



But there have been many who from the name pea have 

 concluded that the plant is a pea such as they have been 

 accustomed to, and we have received hundreds of letters 

 asking about sowing them with oats as is done with the 

 Canada pea. It should be understood, however, that the 

 southern cow pea is not a true pea, but more of a bean, 

 and is a tender tropical plant that thrives only in hot 

 weather. Therefore it could not be associated with oats 

 for hay since if sown when the oats should be sown the 

 seed would perish in the cold soil, and if the oats were 

 sown at the time suitable to the cow pea they would be a 

 failure. Cow peas should never be sown till the soil is warm. 

 In the South they can be sown from May to August, 

 and in the ISIiddle States not till the soil is warm in June. 



