370 FIELD CROPS 



489. Growing the Crop. Though the plants will grow 

 fairly well on land that has had little attention, the stronger 

 growth in a good seed bed pays well for the extra work of 

 preparation. The land is usually plowed for cowpeas, though, 

 when they follow a grain crop or a cultivated crop late in 

 the season, the seed may be disked or cultivated in without 

 plowing. The seed is sown broadcast, with the grain drill, 

 or in rows far enough apart to cultivate. When grown for 

 hay, one of the first two methods is used, while for seed pro- 

 duction the plants are more often grown in cultivated rows. 

 The seed should be covered to a depth of from IJ/^ to 2 

 inches. As the plants are tender, seeding should not begin 

 till after all danger of frost is past and the weather is warm. 

 Sowings can be made from that time up to August in the 

 South, while along the northern limit of their cultivation 

 seed may be sown as late as July 10 with fair prospect of a 

 good hay crop. The usual rate of seeding is 2 to 3 pecks in 

 rows, 4 to 5 pecks when sown with the grain drill, and 6 to 

 8 pecks when sown broadcast. When grown for hay, the 

 date of planting is usually fixed so that the harvest comes in 

 September, as weather conditions are generally more favor- 

 able for curing at that time than at any other. Cowpeas 

 sown broadcast or with the grain drill require no further treat- 

 ment till harvest. Those sown in rows are cultivated much 

 like corn, though two or three cultivations are all that are 

 usually necessary, for the plants soon cover the ground. 



490. Making Cowpea Hay. Cowpeas should be cut for 

 hay when one third or more of the pods are ripe. The ha}^ 

 will then contain the largest quantity of nutriment. If left 

 till haK or more are ripe, some of the peas are likely to shell 

 out in handling and the leaves may begin to drop before 

 cutting. The hay is usually cut with the mower and is left 

 in the swath for two or three days to cure. When cut at 

 this stage the hay cures quite rapidly, but the best hay is 

 made if it is put up in cocks after it has partly cured in the 



