150 ARID AGBICULTURE. 



farmer. The pea is what the botanist calls an 

 indeterminate grower, i. e., it grows, blooms, and 

 ripens seed as long as there is moisture and ab- 

 sence of hard, freezing weather. 



The amount of irrigation ■v^'ill depend upon 

 the length of the season, and somewhat, also, on 

 the heat of the summer. Where summers are 

 hot, flood irrigating will blister or otherwise in- 

 jure the pea plant. Furrow irrigation is better. 

 They may be kept growing by irrigating often 

 enough to keep the soil moist. We have found 

 that on good, loamy soil four irrigations gave a 

 yield of ripened peas of 34% bushels per acre, 

 and about four tons of vines, while seven irriga- 

 tions gave a little larger growth in vine, but only 

 nineteen bushels of peas, because they did not 

 get ripe. On account of its adaptability to dif- 

 ferent soils, different ways of planting, ease of 

 farm management and response to dry farm 

 methods or irrigating practice, the field pea is 

 one of the easiest managed crops. 



FEEsiira The pea is both forage and a grain crop. Pea 



PEAS ^ °^ ^^■^ properly made is a roughage unexcelled by 

 any other. Poorly made pea hay is poor stuff. 

 Good pea hay is a valuable feed for any kind of 

 live stock. It has been found that over-ripe pea 

 hay, pea straw, or that which has been spoiled in 

 the stack, is dangerous to horses, cattle, pigs or 

 sheep, because it causes indigestion and impac- 

 tion. These troubles are absent when properly 



