LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. II3 



them before the seed appears above ground. It is 

 not necessary that the harrow teeth shall go deeply 

 into the ground. It is better that they should not 

 do so, but the surface of the ground should be all 

 stirred, even though the harrow should have to be 

 driven anglewise across the field after the first har- 

 rowing to accomplish the end sought. When the 

 surface of the soil is thus stirred, the weeds that 

 have sprouted are likely to die, and before they are 

 up again the peas are likely to be away ahead of 

 them. The stirring of the soil also enables it the 

 better to hold the moisture. But there may be rea- 

 sons where such harrowing cannot be done because 

 of an excess of moisture. So much the worse will 

 it be, then, for the pea crop. 



Pasturing. — When peas and oats are pastured 

 by sheep, they may be turned in to graze them down 

 when they are from six to ten inches high. The 

 sheep should not be allowed to pasture on them, 

 for various reasons, when they are wet. If, when 

 the pasture is grazed down, the sheep are shut away 

 from it, the grain will soon spring up again, and vig- 

 orously in moist weather, and will therefore furnish 

 pasture a second time, and even a third time under 

 some conditions. Peas and oats furnish an excel- 

 lent and a safe pasture for sheep and lambs. It is 

 excellent because of its marked palatability, because 

 of the amount which it furnishes, and because of its 

 timeliness. It comes in at a season when much milk 

 is wanted for the lambs, and much milk is sure to 

 be the outcome if the dams are grazed upon this pas- 

 ture when it is succulent. And it is safe because 

 no ill effects may be expected from pasturing the 

 sheep upon it. 

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