450 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



pea vines back in a row or in bunches, so as to be out of 

 the way of the mower when the next swath is cut. Some 

 machines have a platform behind the mower, from which 

 the vines are thrown at short intervals in bunches. 



From a small area the seed may be flailed, but -usually 

 grain thrashers are used. Precautions must be taken to 

 avoid cracking too much of the seed ; namely, by remov- 

 ing most of the teeth from the concaves, and by reducing 

 the speed. If the crop is well cured, the seed thrashes out 

 very easily. 



Extensive work has been conducted at most of the 

 Canadian Experimental Farms in testing field peas for 

 grain production. 



The average yield of the 12 best varieties tested for 

 6 to 8 years at 5 Canadian stations was 2141 pounds, some- 

 what over 35 bushels. At Ottawa the 12 best varieties 

 averaged 2018 pounds to an acre ; at Brandon, Manitoba, 

 2602 pounds; at Nappan, N. S., 1917 pounds; at Indian 

 Head, Saskatchewan, 2253 pounds. The maximum 

 yield reported is 85 bushels to an acre, a yield reached 

 by the Mackay variety at Brandon, Manitoba, in 1904. 



The average yield for Canada in 1909 was 19.34 bushels 

 an acre and in 1910, 13.38 bushels. 



In the table opposite are given the results of long- 

 continued tests at 7 experimental farms in Canada. 



At the Montana Experiment Station, the average yield 

 of peas for 2 years of all varieties tested was 39.5 bushels, 

 and at the Washington Experiment Station 7 varieties 

 gave the following yields of seed to the acre: Potter, 23.7 

 bushels ; Canadian Beauty, 23 ; White Marrowfat, 20.3 ; 

 Early Britain, 21 ; Scotch, 20 ; Golden Vine, 18.7 ; Prus- 

 sian Blue, 16.7. 



543. Seed. Peas germinate readily at low tempera- 



