AND OTHER FORAGE PLANTS. 17 



i 



riety with rather small yield of vine, but an abundant yield of 

 small white seed, which whether green or dry, when cooked af- 

 ford a delicious tender dish. Another white variety with lar- 

 ger seed and more vine is also an excellent article for the din- 

 ner table, but not so nice as the former. 



The "Whippoorwill" with larger, mottled seeds of early, rap- 

 id growth and may be mowed several times ; or when a few seed 

 mature the whole may be plowed under and soon another crop 

 covers the ground. 



The Red Ripper, Black, Cow Pea and others yield a heavy 

 crop of seed and hay. They should always be sown among the 

 corn broadcast or drilled each side of the corn row at the last 

 working. I always prefer laying by corn as early as possible in 

 May ; both for a better corn crop and for obtaining a heavier 

 growth of the pea vines. Peas sown in June rarely yield half so 

 much vine and leaf as those planted in May. Those planted in 

 July grow but^a few inches high. I plant rather for the leaf 

 and vine, of which I wish the largest possible growth both 

 above and in the ground ; the root to release and bring up pot- 

 ash, lime and phosphorus from the deeper subsoil and render the 

 latter friable ; the vines and leaves to shade as densely as possi- 

 ble at the time, (July, August and September,) when the earth 

 so shaded absorbs with most avidity fertilizers from the atmos- 

 phere in addition to the quantity assimilated by the plant itself. 

 These field peas should be sown on all stubble lands also, as 

 soon as the grain is mowed, either broadcast or plowed under ; or 

 if seed be scarce, drilled in every fourth or fifth furrow. In the 

 latter case they may be cultivated. By thus following the crops 

 of grain with peas the land may be continually improved. Af- 

 ter a single good crop of peas, even when mowed or pastured oif, 

 I am confident I have seen the yield of the next cotton crop in- 

 creased fifty or one hundred per cent on clay soils. 



As a food crop they cannot be too highly prized ; they, like 

 small grain and grasses, require no labor except sowing and har- 

 vesting. A hand will pick as many pounds of peas as of cotton 

 in a given time. Peas rarely sell for less than one dollar per 

 bushel, oftener for more ; and as during the current year the pur- 

 chaser sometimes pays three dollars per bushel. They are cheap 

 at the highest price for fertilizing alone. Every one should 

 save at least enough seed for his own next year's planting. 



In some parts of the country peas are very often much dama- 

 ged by the pea weevil, or bug. This may be obviated by letting 

 them remain in the pod till ready to use ; or when well dry by 

 threshing on dry dusty ground and gathering up dust with the 

 seed. If threshed by machinery, dust or ashes may be supplied 

 while putting in sacks, barrels or bins. Any air tight package 

 will prevent insect depredations. But if put up in air tight pack- 

 ages, they must be free from moisture. 



