CHAPTER XIV 



OTHER LEGUMINOUS FORAGE CROPS 



Much attention has been given to leguminous 

 forage crops in recent years because of their soil- 

 enriching propensities and their supply of pro- 

 tein substances to animals. Many of these plants 

 are now being experimented with in difierent 

 parts of the country; some of the remaining kinds 

 that have now thoroughly proved themselves may 

 be discussed here. 



COWPEA 



The cowpea is an annual viny plant, more a 

 bean than a pea. Its origin is authoritatively 

 stated to be in the Orient, where it has been cul- 

 tivated for thousands of years; it is thought to 

 have been introduced into this country in the 

 early part of the eighteenth century. Its best 

 development occurs in warm climates; in this 

 country it has found a congenial home in the 

 southern states, where it reaches its maximum 

 development. A number of varieties have been 

 developed, however, that are adapted to cooler 

 conditions, so that now it is well distributed even 

 in parts of the North, where its adaptation to 



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