GRASS AND HAY 109 



tion of seed, especially if uniform maturity is desired, the crop 

 should be planted thinly, preferably in rows, and at such a time 

 as to ripen the seed during the warmer and drier seasons of the 

 year. In comparison with the growth above ground the root system 

 of the cowpea does not appear to be as extensive as in most other 

 legumes, nevertheless the plant is quite drought resistant, due to its 

 shading the ground so thoroughly. The roots are nearly always 

 supplied with the nodules which harbor the nitrifying bacteria so 

 important to enriching both the plant and the soil. (Hawaii 

 B. 23.) 



SUMMARY. 



(1) The cowpea is the best legume for the entire cotton belt, 

 and can be profitably grown much farther north. It is especially 

 suitable for combined hay and seed production or for hay alone. 



(2) To make good cowpea hay requires careful handling of 

 the cBop. The plant should have made its growth and have at 

 least the first pods ripe when the mowing is done. Uniformity in 

 maturing is essential in getting the best results. The use of a ted- 

 der is very helpful. The serious loss of leaves can be avoided by not 

 handling the hay when the leaves are dry and brittle. The curing 

 is best done in small cocks, and the hay is ready for the stack or 

 barn when no moisture can be wrung from the stem by twisting it 

 with considerable force. 



(3) Cowpeas for hay production are very advantageously 

 grown in mixture with sorghum, Johnson grass, or soy beans. The 

 yield is thus increased, the quality improved, and the curing more 

 easily done. Cowpeas give very good results when grown with sor- 

 ghum in cultivated rows and are very commonly planted in corn 

 and used for grazing or ensilage. 



(4) Pasturing cowpeas is not the most economical practice, 

 but it is frequently resorted to because of the small expense it en- 

 tails. Cowpeas are* especially suitable for grazing hogs. 



(5) Cowpea hay is very nutritious. It is nearly equal to wheat 

 bran as part of a ration. It is satisfactory for work stock and for 

 beef or milk production, and it gives good results when fed to poul- 

 try. The grain is a rich feed, excellent for poultry but little used for 

 other feeding. Cowpea straw is an excellent roughage and nearly as 

 valuable as the hay. 



(6) Cheaper cowpea seed will result in the much more exten- 

 sive growing of the crop. Harvesting for seed can be done most 

 cheaply by the use of machinery. The crop should be cut with a 

 mower or self-rake reaper when half or more of the pods are ripe. 

 When thoroughly dry the thrashing may be done with an ordinary 

 grain separator with some modifications, with a two-cylinder cowpea 

 thrasher, or with a one-cylinder special machine which has all the 

 thrashing spikes sharpened in addition to having ingenious devices 

 which make it the most satisfactory thrasher for handling cowpeas. 



(7) Cowpeas add nitrogen to the soil and improve its mechan- 

 ical condition. It is most profitably grown in rotation with other 

 crops. The following rotations are good ones: (a) Cotton, three 



