CULTURE OP THE PEA. 175 



588. The Pea. The gray or field pea is most common 

 as a field crop. Many other varieties of this vegetable 

 are found in the garden and the market, each of which 

 is marked by some peculiarity as to time of ripening, 

 size, &c. 



589. The soil best adapted to the pea is a stiff loam, 

 such as might be called clayey. But it will not do well 

 on a heavy clay. In general the pea may be successfully 

 cultivated on all soils which can be deeply tilled and richly 

 manured, except the stiffest clays and light sands. 



590. Fine, well-rotted composts or ashes, plaster or 

 lime, should be used for this crop, in preference to coarse 

 barnyard manures. 



591. In soils of not more than ordinary stiffness, which 

 have been well cultivated for some preceding crop, a single 

 deep ploughing followed by the harrow is sufficient for 

 pease. They should be sown in drills, from two to four 

 bushels of seed being used per acre, and covered about 

 an inch and a half deep. They may follow any farm crop 

 in the rotation, but should never be raised year after year 

 on the same land. Many sow pease broadcast with oats, 

 and harrow them in, and good crops are often obtained in 

 this way. A thorough rolling with a heavy field roller is 

 useful. 



592. When ready for use pease are picked by hand, or 

 if sown broadcast mixed with some other crop, they are 

 cut with the scythe, and then taken to the barn and 

 threshed with the flail. In some places the pea is 

 cultivated to some extent to furnish green feed for stock, 

 and as a green manure crop to be turned under. For 

 these purposes it is sown broadcast or hoed in among corn 

 at the last hoeing. 



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