CHAPTER XXI 

 COWPEAS 



THE cowpea is really not a pea at all but a bean, being 

 indeed the one most commonly cultivated for human 

 food in the Old World before the discovery of America. 

 Its ease of culture and productivity have combined to 

 make it popular in all the southern states. 



598. Botanical origin. The native home of the cow- 

 pea ( Vigna sinensis] is doubtless Central Africa. Through- 

 out much of that continent occurs a wild plant differing 

 from the cultivated cowpea in having smaller seeds and 

 dark pods which coil in ripening. Hybrids of this wild 

 plant and the cowpea are readily obtained. Occasionally 

 the wild plant is cultivated by African tribes, but ordi- 

 narily the cultivated plants are modified, having straw- 

 colored pods and somewhat larger seeds. In no other 

 region have wild cowpeas been found. 



Cultivated varieties of cowpeas occur through Africa 

 and over the southern half of Asia and the adjacent islands. 

 The large number and great diversity of the varieties over 

 this vast region indicate that its extended culture is very 

 ancient. There is, however, no direct evidence on this 

 point in the way of seeds from ancient temples or tombs. 



599. Agricultural history. In the old world, particu- 

 larly Africa and Asia, as well as the Mediterranean region 

 of Europe, the cowpea is of ancient cultivation for human 



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