CHAP. in. BUCKWHEAT AND PEAS. 949 



the poorest soil, and is but little affected by cold. The best, and 

 indeed the proper, season for sowing it is towards the end of May, or 

 the commencement of June ; and, in the course of a week, it generally 

 appears above ground. The quantity is from one to three bushels per 

 acre, if sown broad -cast, as it generally is, on account of the con- 

 venience of cutting it. The so-called " seed " of buckwheat is really 

 the fruit, a triangular nutlet. In July the crop begins to flower, and 

 it is usually fit for the scythe about the beginning of October. Three 

 or four quarters per acre is a fair crop. Buckwheat requires little or 

 no manure, and affords an excellent food, either for soiling or for 

 winter store. Occasionally, sheep are folded upon the crop when in 

 flower. Given to horses employed in slow draught, in conjunction 

 with bran or chaff, it will get them into fine condition, but it is some- 

 times apt to produce swelled legs and cutaneous eruptions ; if given in 

 a green state to cows it is said to increase the quantity of milk. It 

 has been used for fattening poultry and swine ; but the last-mentioned 

 animals should not be permitted to feed entirely upon it, or they will 

 be liable to be covered with scabby eruptions. The peculiarly fine 

 flavour of the poultry in the South of France is said to be derived 

 from this grain ; but its fattening properties are not equal to those of 

 the corn in common use. It is also good for pigeons, and is the 

 favourite food of pheasants, whether wild or tame. 



PEAS (Pisum sativum, L. ; nat. ord. Leguminosse) are amongst the 

 most valuable of the farm-crops, but, owing to the uncertainty of the 

 crop, their cultivation does not increase, especially since feeding-cakes 

 have become so cheap. 



There are almost innumerable varieties and selections, but those 

 most commonly grown in field-culture are the Common Grey, the 

 Maple, the Early Maple, the Partridge, and the Early Dun. Prussian 

 Blues and many varieties of White Peas are also employed, though 

 they were originally brought out as garden peas. In some districts, 

 soft or wrinkled peas are largely grown for culinary purposes. 

 Amongst them may be mentioned the Ne Plus Ultra, Telegraph, 

 Champion, Yorkshire Hero, British Queen, and many others. 



The chief distinction between a field pea and a garden pea is the 

 colour of the blossom, which, except for the recent introduction of 

 some of the latter kinds mentioned, is white in the garden pea, and 

 blue and pink in the field pea. 



The place of peas in the four-course system is after barley, and they 

 are taken on light land as a means of resting it from clover, which 

 causes clover sickness if grown too frequently. Peas are essentially a 

 light land crop. The cultivation is very simple, as the barley stubble 

 merely requires ploughing and dunging in the autumn or early winter, 

 and scuffling, drag-harrowing, and harrowing down to a fairly fine tilth 

 in the spring, a stale furrow being favourable, to their growth. From 

 2 to 3 bushels of seed peas are required per acre, and the rows 

 are generally made from 10 to 15 inches apart ; but the garden 

 sorts for picking are best where drilled in rows 2 feet apart. They 



