CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 411 



the large commercial plantings are made very early in 

 the spring. The North naturally provides the best con- 

 ditions, although excellent results are obtained through- 

 out the South when advantage is taken of the cooler 

 months. It is grown largely for northern shipments in 

 some of the trucking districts of the South. There must 

 be an ample rainfall to insure a full crop. In hot weather 

 the growth is w r eak and mildew is liable to appear. Un- 

 less the growth is very tender, the plants will stand hard 

 freezing, although they are sometimes injured when 

 freezes occur after several days of good growing 

 weather. 



558. Soil. A cool, moist but well-drained soil is essen- 

 tial to the largest yields. The sandy loams are pre- 

 ferred, although good results can be obtained on any 

 loose, friable and well-prepared soil. The heavier soils 

 are greatly improved for peas by the addition of humus 

 in some form. Clay and silt loams are used advan- 

 tageously for the late crop. 



559. Fertilizing. The pea does best in soils abound- 

 ing in vegetable matter, but not containing excessive 

 amounts of nitrogen. Land highly manured the preced- 

 ing year furnishes ideal conditions for peas. Fresh 

 stable manures should never be employed immediately 

 before planting, but rotten manure may be used freely. 

 When clover sods, crimson clover, cowpeas and soy 

 beans are available to plow down, there is no need of 

 stable manures. The bulk of the crop is grown by the 

 use of commercial fertilizers. Although it is a legume, 

 the early plantings begin growing long before nitrifica- 

 tion is active, and some quickly available nitrogen is 

 therefore essential for the early plantings. A small per- 

 centage of nitrogen is very generally regarded as profit- 

 able for plantings at all seasons, but there must be no 

 lack of the mineral elements. Five hundred pounds of 

 fertilizer containing 2 or 3 per cent of nitrogen and 8 to 



