ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC 



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not dare predict that they would ever grow another foot. They looked 

 matured, finished, discouraged, and a physical examination of the soil 

 explained it. A thin leaf mold, then sandy clay with a trace of iron, then 

 clay, and the whole as dry as a smoked herring, was what it showed. A 

 variety of opinions were put forward as to the cause of the failure of 

 this venture mismanagement, poor soil, bad seed, grass, etc. but to 

 my mind the soil told the whole story. 



I have had so many inquiries concerning the cow pea that I want 

 to add a word concerning it. The botanical name of the ordinary variety 



RUBBER TREE 27 MONTHS OLD FROM SEED. 



is the Vigna kantaing. It is one of the well known leguminous plants 

 of the southern states, grown partly for fodder and partly for hay. It 

 makes the land richer because it returns to it so much of the mineral 

 matter taken from the soil, and in addition much nitrogen from the air. 

 There are a number of varieties used through the southern states, such 

 as the "clay," the "unknown," and the "whippoorwill." The advantages 

 of the cow pea are. it is a nitrogen gatherer ; it shades the soil in summer, 

 leaving it friable and loose ; it has a large root development ; is adapted 

 to almost anv sort of soil ; stands heat and sunshine well ; and if sown 



