32 THE COW PEA. 



at once. The only safe plan is to put it for a few weeks 

 into stacks covered with straw, or into a barn, where it 

 should not be piled too deeply, and allow it thus to remain 

 until all "sweating" is over and it is thoroughly dry. It 

 may then be packed without danger of afterwards finding 

 rusty or mouldy hay in the centre of the bales. 



It is somewhat doubtful if the cow pea can be recom- 

 mended for general haymaking at the north. It ripens 

 at a season not favorable for curing green fodder and when 

 other farm work is pressing. Good hay has been made 

 from it at the north, but the chances are against great suc- 

 cess with it, and the northern farmer will do better to re- 

 gard it as a manurial or pasture crop. Some northern 

 dairymen have used it as a soiling crop cut green and fed 

 to the cows, still its chief value in cold climates is as a 

 nitrogen gatherer and soil restorer. 



SAVING SEED. 



When the pea crop is grown between corn rows, or is 

 fairly ripe before it is grazed, or remains on the ground for 

 a winter cover, it is usually good economy to gather the 

 seed. This is commonly done by hand-picking, often by 

 women and children, who work for a share, usually one-half 

 of the crop. 



Some growers prefer the plan of storing the unshelled 

 pods through the winter. This serves in a measure, but not 

 completely, to protect the seed from weevil. Others, in or- 

 der to save storage room, thresh as soon as the pods arQ 



