FARM MANURES CONCLUDED 



i8 7 



South. It will grow anywhere south of the Ohio 

 River and can be grown with fair success in many 

 localities farther north. 



It is a tender annual, that is, it is killed by frost 

 and makes its entire growth from seed to seed in a 

 single season. It should therefore be planted only 

 during the spring and summer. This crop not only 

 has power like the other legumes to take nitrogen 

 from the air, but it is also a strong feeder, that is, 

 it can feed upon mineral plant food in the soil that 

 other plants are unable to make use of. For this 

 reason it will grow on some of the poorest soils, 

 and is a good plant with which to begin the improve- 

 ment of very poor land. It is a deep-rooted plant. 

 On the farm of the Hampton Normal and Agricul- 

 tural Institute cowpea roots have been traced to 

 the depth of sixty-one inches. 



Cowpeas will grow on almost any land that is not 

 too wet. From one and one-half to three bushels 

 of seed are used per acre. These are sown broadcast 

 and harrowed in or are planted in drills or furrows 

 and cultivated a few times. Aside from its value as 

 a green manure crop the cowpea is useful as food 

 for man and the farm animals. The green pods are 

 used as string beans or snaps. The ripened seeds 

 are used as a food and the vines make good fodder 

 for the farm animals. 



" Experiments at the Louisiana Experiment Sta- 

 tion show that one acre of cowpeas yielding 3,970.38 

 pounds of organic matter, turned under, gave to the 

 soil 64.95 pounds of nitrogen, 20.39 pounds of 



