314 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



There are some 15 important varieties of the cowpeas 

 grown in the United States, and they vary much in their 

 habits of growth, most of them being intermediate between 

 the erect and the extremely long vined varieties. They 

 also vary greatly in their adaptation to soils and climates 

 and in their retention of leaves and the coarseness of their 

 stems. 



319. Adaptation and distribution. Cowpeas are well 

 adapted to a warm climate and a long growing season. 

 For this reason they are better adapted to the southern 

 than to the northern part of the United States. Only a 

 few of the earlier varieties mature as far north as central 

 Ohio. Cowpeas are a very important crop in the South, 

 holding a place there similar to that held by red clover in 

 the North. They will grow on almost all types of soil. 

 They are more sensitive to wet soil than are the soy 

 beans, but they are less affected by lack of lime, and have 

 on this account a wider distribution than soy beans. 

 They grow well on rather poor soils, and for this reason 

 are valuable for green manure. 



320. Uses. The cowpea is used in much the same 

 way as the soy bean. In China it is even more commonly 

 used in human diet than the soy bean. Like the latter, 

 it may be used for the feeding of live stock and for green 

 manuring. The hay, when properly made, is of equal 

 feeding value with alfalfa hay, although it is not quite so 

 palatable. It is an excellent soiling crop, and the combi- 

 nation of cowpeas and corn, when grown for this purpose, 

 yields from 10 to 25 tons of forage per acre. Like the soy 

 bean, it is not a first-class pasture crop, but is sometimes 

 used as pasture for sheep or hogs. 



One reason why this crop is so valuable in the South 

 is its usefulness as a green manure crop in building 



