IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL 71 



best kinds to plant for soil-improving purposes. It 

 is particularly adapted to conditions in Cuba. The 

 wonderful pea combines to some extent the quali- 

 ties of the other two, producing more vines than the 

 whippoorwill and more seed than the iron. It is a 

 good general-purpose pea over a wide territory. 

 Cowpeas will thrive on a great variety of soils, but 

 do best on well-drained clays or sandy loams. They 

 are easily injured by standing water and do not, as 

 a rule, do well on very light shifting sands. On these 

 lighter soils especially they are subject to two rather 

 serious diseases. They are attacked by " wilt " 

 (^Neocosyjiospord)^ a fungous disease that enters the 

 plant through the roots, and are also subject to the 

 nematode root knot (Jleteroderd)^ which is so com- 

 mon a pest in sandy Southern soil. No remedy 

 for these troubles is known, and it becomes necessary 

 to abandon the planting of peas on lands badly in- 

 fested by them. The iron pea, it is claimed, is par- 

 tially immune to both of these troubles. 



It is sometimes a question how best to utilize a crop 

 of peas. If cut as the first pods are maturing and 

 properly cured, they make a hay fully equal to the 

 best clover hay. As with clover most of the curing 

 should be done in the windrow and shock. The leaves 

 will fall badly if the hay is allowed to lie too long fully 

 exposed to the sun. Where enough stock is kept to 

 eat the hay, this is undoubtedly the best use to which 

 the cowpea crop can be put, since nearly all of its 

 manurial value is recovered in the droppings, and its 

 very considerable food value is also utilized. Even 

 when the hay is cut and sold, repeated careful experi- 



