CHAPTER III 

 CULTURAL PRINCIPLES— HARVEST 



Authorities agree that fall plowing for peas is 

 preferable. If for no other reason, it is desirable 

 from the general advantage that fall plowing opens 

 up the land for the action of frost and the elements 

 through winter. Fall plowing is less important 

 when light ground forms the seed bed. Spring 

 plowing, however, is not objectionable, and is in 

 common practice. Thorough harrowing with disk 

 and smoothing harrows will be appreciated by the 

 crop. Peas are very vigorous and free growers, and 

 are broadcasted by some on the furrow and simply 

 disked in. This provides no thoroughly worked 

 seed bed. 



Planting. — The time of planting may vary with 

 varieties and the object for which grown. In gen- 

 eral, sow the peas early in the spring, as soon as 

 ground can be worked. Peas do not succeed best 

 in hot, drying sun and winds, and an early start 

 will provide ample shade for the ground by the 

 time the hottest days come. Shaw^ and Zavitz^ state 

 that peas were sown at different dates between 

 April 22 and June 6. The weight of peas per 

 bushel increased with each successive seeding. 

 However, the best average yield to the acre was 

 from seed sown April 2.2. 



Amount of Seed. — This will vary according to 

 variety, soil, and for purpose grown. From two to 

 three and one-haJf bushels is the range, with per- 



'Ont. Agri. Col. Rpt. for 1892. 



15 



