394 FIELD CROPS 



treatment till harvest. Those sown in rows are cultivated 

 much like corn, though two or three cultivations are all that 

 are usually necessary, for the plants soon cover the ground. 



499. Making Cowpea Hay. Cowpeas should be cut for 

 hay when one-third or more of the pods are ripe. ' The hay 

 will then contain the largest quantity of nutriment. If left 

 till half or more are ripe, some of the peas are likely to shell 

 out in handling and the leaves may begin to drop before 

 cutting. The hay is usually cut with the mower and is left 

 in the swath for two or three days to cure. When cut at 

 this stage the hay cures quite rapidly, but the best hay is 

 made if it is put up in cocks after it has partly cured in the 

 swath. In wet weather, frames are sometimes used to raise 

 the hay off the ground and admit air to all parts of the cock. 

 After the hay is cured, it may be stacked or put in the mow 

 the same as other hay. 



500. Harvesting the Seed Crop. The best crops of 

 cowpea seed are produced when the plants are grown in 

 rows and cultivated. The crop should not be harvested till 

 two-thirds or more of the pods are fully ripe. The pods may 

 be picked by hand, or the entire plant may be harvested 

 by 'cutting with a self -rake reaper, a bean harvester, or an 

 ordinary mower with or without a buncher attachment. 

 In any case, the pods and vines should be thoroughly dry 

 before they are thrashed. If the vines are harvested, the 

 use of racks for drying is quite generally advisable to prevent 

 the peas from molding in the cocks. After the vines are 

 cured, they may be put in the mow or stack and thrashed 

 out as desired. The thrashing may be done with a flail, 

 with ' the ordinary thrashing machine with part of the con- 

 caves removed, or with a special pea thrasher. 



601. Cowpeas as Feed for Stock. Cowpea hay may be 

 fed to all classes of stock, but is particularly good for feeding 



