152 AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



The Chickasaw Pea, The Cow Pea, The Black-eyed Pea, and 

 others, unknown at the north, are in common use, where they 

 are depended upon for pasture, as clover is with us. 



362. The soil best adapted to this crop is a loam, a little in 

 clining to clay, abounding in the alkalies. Barn yard manures, 

 freshly applied, are injurious as forming much straw at the ex 

 pense of the seed; but ashes, plaster, and lime, and probably 

 guano, may be used with much benefit. Land habitually wet 

 should not be sown with peas. 



363. Unless the soil is very highly cultivated and very fria 

 ble, plow in the fall, laying the furrows up high ; and again, 

 crossways in the spring, so soon as the earth is sufficiently dried. 

 Harrow thoroughly, and deeply. The common quantity sown 

 in New York is 1 to 1^- bushels per acre, but the Scotch use 

 4 bushels ; and in the United States, from 3 to 4 bushels are 

 preferable to the smaller quantity. The goodness of the crop 

 greatly depends upon the roots being so deeply buried that they 

 are beyond the risk of the earth around them drying up in 

 summer. To ensure this, as it is very difficult if not impossible 

 to cover the seed evenly with a harrow, they should be plowed 

 in with a wheat cultivator, so as to leave them from 2 to 2j 

 inches or more below the surface, and then the field should be 

 well rolled. 



364. Harvesting is effected with the scythe, the straw being 

 rather torn up and rolled into heaps than cut; or when fully 

 ripe, the roots may be easily and quickly pulled with a horse 

 rake. Pease are then left on the ground till dry, and are either 

 put away in the barn ; or, as is preferable, thrashed as they are 

 hauled in. This may be done with the flail, or horses, the lat 

 ter being the most expeditious and cheapest. The bottom of 

 the wagon should be tight to prevent waste. 



365. In Virginia, peas are frequently grown among corn, be 

 ing planted between the corn hills, and made at the expence of 



