CHAPTER VI. 



LEGUMINOUS PLANTS OTHER THAN CLOVER. 



Chief among the leguminous plants other than 

 clover that have heretofore been grown on this con- 

 tinent to provide forage are the fielc^pea, the com- 

 mon vetch, the cowpea and the soybean. The field 

 pea and the common vetch have hitherto been grown 

 chiefly in Canada, and to a less extent in the United 

 States that borders on Canada. But during recent 

 years the vetch crop of the states of Oregon and 

 Washington is assuming proportions of some mag- 

 nitude. The sand vetch has been grown in a tenta- 

 tive way in various parts of the United States, and 

 the cowpea and the soy bean have been grown in 

 the southern states and to a less extent in those that 

 are central. The peas and vetches are all of a more 

 or less trailing habit of growth. The soy bean has 

 more of the bush form. All of these have been 

 found excellent food plants in the localities which 

 have special adaptation for growing them. 



THE FIELD PEA. 



The field pea (Pisum sativum) is of many vari- 

 eties. These are variously distinguished, as by the 

 length and strength of the straw, the more or less 

 trailing habit of the growth, the size and number of 

 the pods, the size of the peas and the relative number 



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