CHAPTER 11 



MISCELLANEOUS ANNUAL HAY AND FORAGE CROPS 



Of the miscellaneous annual hay and forage crops the legumes take 

 first place. They are important both from the standpoint of high feeding 

 value and of the benefit derived from them by the soil. In regions adapted 

 to alfalfa or the clovers, annual legumes find a minor place, chiefly as substi- 

 tutes when for any reason the clovers fail. 



Cowpeas and soy beans are by far the most important annual legumes. 

 The former are especially adapted to the cotton belt, while the latter may be 

 grown wherever corn is successfully raised. For northern latitudes, Canada 

 field peas and winter vetch are hardy and promising. 



Of the non-legumes, the millets and sorghums rank first as annual 

 hay and forage crops. 



COWPEAS 



The cowpea is a warm-weather crop, and is the best annual legume 

 for the entire cotton belt. It is suited for the production of both hay and 

 seed. It is seldom grown above 40 degrees north latitude, and in the 

 northern limits of its production only early-maturing varieties should be 

 used. There are more than sixty varieties of cowpeas, differing greatly in 

 size, character of growth, color of seeds and time of maturity. Only a few 

 of them are extensively grown. 



Varieties. Whippoorwill is the best known and most extensively 

 grown variety. It is of medium maturity and well adapted for making hay. 

 It may be recognized by seed which has a mottled chocolate on a buff or 

 reddish ground color. It makes a vigorous growth, quite erect and 

 produces a large amount of vine. It can be handled readily by machinery. 



Iron is also a well-known variety, and is especially valuable because it 

 is practically immune to root knot and wilt, diseases which cause much 

 trouble with cowpeas in many parts of the cotton belt. 



New Era is one of the earliest of the cowpea varieties and is adapted 

 to the southern portion of the corn belt. Its habit of growth is erect with 

 few prostrate branches, thus making it easy to cut with machinery. It 

 produces a heavy crop of small seed, characterized by innumerable minute 

 blue specks on a gray ground color. Because of the small seed, less quan- 

 tity is required for seeding. 



Unknown or Wonderful is one of the most vigorous and largest growing 

 varieties and is late in maturing. It is quite erect and is handled readily 

 by machinery, either for hay or grain production. The seed is large and of 

 a light clay color. It is not adapted north of North Carolina and Ten- 

 nessee, except in a few localities at the lower altitudes. 



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