CHAPTER II 

 SOILS, FERTILIZERS AND INOCULATION 



A wide variety of soils will produce peas, but for 

 best results plant on a clay loam which is not in an 

 acid condition. The stiffest of clays, well tilled, 

 will produce peas, and light sandy soils will return 

 a moderate yield. Mucky soil overladen with humus 

 is likely to produce too rank vines, and light sandy 

 soil will not produce enough vine growth. The 

 ideal soil is cool and reasonably moist. W. ^I. 

 Hayes^ conducted experiments in Dakota and Min- 

 nesota which indicate that a larger yield of peas 

 than of wheat can be obtained on sandy lands. 

 Suzuki^ gives results of four years' continuous cul- 

 ture of peas grown on humus loam soil unfertilized 

 and fertilized. He declares no trace of soil weari- 

 ness or sickness appeared when soil was liberally 

 fertilized and concluded that soil sickness may in 

 some cases be due simply to deficiency of available 

 plant food. 



Place in Rotation. — As the pea crop gathers more 

 nitrogen than consumed by the plant, it may be 

 followed with distinct advantage by a variety of 

 crops, notably the cereals. Von Sellhorst^ states 

 that peas, owing to the small quantity of water 

 drawn from the soil, can with advantage be followed 

 by winter cereals. 



'N. D. Sta., Bui. No. lo. 



"' Experiment Station Record, Vol. 20. 



'' E. S. R., Vol. 14. 



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