MISCELLANEOUS CKOPS. 291 



ally cut near the base and the poles laid on a sup- 

 port at a convenient height for picking. The hops 

 are picked in large boxes and can'ied to kilns in sacks, 

 where they are emptied in a large carpeted room or 

 oven heated to about 180 degrees Fahrenheit, in 

 which the hops dry in about 8 to 10 hours. When 

 cool they are baled and marketed as soon as may be. 



FIELD PEAS. 



Field peas {Pisum arvene) are a somewhat im- 

 portant field crop both in Canada and in Europe, but 

 have never become so in this country. In Canada 35 

 to 40 bushels per acre are reported in individual in- 

 stances. 



The plant belongs to the clover family, and hence 

 has a similar renovating value for the land. The 

 seeds, which are fed ground, have about twice as large 

 a percentage of albuminoids as does Indian corn, and 

 are therefore a desirable supplementary food for milch 

 cows and growing stock. The manure from stock fed 

 with peas would be more valuable than that of stock 

 fed with cereal grains. The straw or haulms is of 

 little value. 



Sandy loams are better than clay loafns. On rich 

 soils the plants are apt to lodge. Peas should be sown 

 at the rate of three bushels per acre, as early in the 

 spring as the soil will permit. Use an ordinary wheat 

 drill, one which will not break the seeds in planting. 



Black-eyed, marrowfat, golden vine and multiplier 

 are good varieties. 



In Canada they are sometimes cut with a pea har- 

 vester attachment to an ordinary reaper. A common 

 practice there, also, is to use a sulky rake, one end 

 only being used, in order that the horse may not be 



