492 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



food. It is without doubt the phaseolus of Pliny, Colu- 

 mella and other Roman writers, but this name became 

 applied also to the kidney-bean following its introduction 

 into Europe from America. In Italy, however, the black- 

 eye cowpea is still called 

 by the same name as 

 kidney-beans, namely, 

 fagiolo. 



The cowpea early be- 

 came introduced into 

 the West Indies and was 

 well known in Carolina 

 as early as 1775. Its 

 culture had extended to 

 Virginia by 1795, and 

 was probably general 

 early in the nineteenth 

 century. 



In the United States, 

 the cowpea has always 

 been grown mainly as a 

 forage and restorative 

 crop, but the seeds, 

 particularly of the white 

 or nearly white-seeded 

 varieties, are commonly 

 used as human food, 

 especially in the South. 

 As early as 1822, several varieties are mentioned by 

 American writers, one of which, with buff-colored seeds, 

 was called the " Cow " pea. From this variety the name 

 has become extended to the whole crop. 



600. Adaptations. The cowpea is adapted to almost 



FIG. 59. Cowpea. 



