502 



FORAGE PL A NT 8 AND THEIR CULTURE 



apt to favor mildewing, especially of .the pods. Even 

 with favorable weather, quick curing is impossible owing 

 to succulency of the stems and green pods. Should the 

 hay be wetted by rain at any stage of curing, it should 

 not be handled again until the surface is well dried. 



Even when poorly cured or indeed, moldy and 

 decayed cowpea hay is eaten by animals, a partial 

 compensation for the difficulty of curing it satisfactorily. 



It will be noted that the percentage of protein, and fat, 

 as well as of the ash and fiber increases from first bloom 

 until the pods are fully formed, while the carbohydrates 

 decrease markedly. Chemical composition, therefore, 

 agrees with other considerations in indicating that the 

 best time to cut cowpeas for hay is when the first pods 

 become mature. The fiber of the cowpea vines when 

 mature is fairly strong and from time to time its use as a 

 textile has been suggested. 



In the following table is shown the composition of the 

 cowpea at different stages of growth : 



TABLE SHOWING COMPOSITION OF COWPEA HAY AT DIFFERENT 

 STAGES OF MATURITY. WATER-FREE 



613. Hay yields. The yield of cowpea hay ranges 

 from one to three tons to the acre, varying according to 

 variety, soil and weather conditions. 



