442 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



round yellow seeds. But several varieties are used both 



for vegetables and for forage. 



A third group of varieties, the sugar peas (variety 



saccharatum) , is distinguished by having broad, flat, tender 



pods, which are used 

 as a vegetable after 

 the manner of snap 

 beans. Most of these 

 have the pods green, 

 but in one variety 

 they are yellow. 



531. Description. 

 - The pea (Fig. 51) 

 is an annual plant 

 with hollow stems 

 varying in length 

 from 1J to 10 feet, 

 according to variety 

 and conditions. The 

 entire herbage is pale 

 and glaucous. The 

 stems are weak, usu- 

 ally decumbent at 

 base and much in- 

 clined to lodge. The 

 leaves are pinnate 

 with 1 to 3 pairs of 



leaflets and one or more pairs of tendrils besides the tip of 



the rachis, by which the plant clings to supports. The 



stout, axillary peduncles each bear 1 to 3 flowers. The 



pods are green or rarely yellow. 



The root system is rather shallow, not exceeding three 



feet, but nevertheless the pea is fairly resistant to drought. 



FIG. 51. Field pea. 



