THE COW PEA. 47 



largely to the yield and makes the silage of much better 

 quality. A ton of such a mixture has a feeding value fully 

 lo per cent, higher than that of an equal weight made from 

 corn alone. For this purpose the "Whip-poor-will" is one 

 of the best varieties and should be planted with a common 

 hand corn planter when the corn is about six inches high. 

 By planting at that time, the vines run nearly or quite to 

 the tops of the stalks and mature a good part of their seed 

 by the time the corn is fit for cutting. The vines thus 

 twined about the stalks are readily run through the cutter. 

 Corn silage is poor, but that of cow peas is rich in protein, 

 so the mixture makes a more satisfactory food than that of 

 either taken separately. 



COW PEAS IN CROP ROTATIONS. 



The cow pea is one of the annual legumes which can be 

 used to advantage in crop rotation; it is possible to select a 

 variety which will occupy the ground and mature at any 

 time during the hot weather. The planting may be early 

 in the spring so as to get the crop out of the way in time 

 for sowing fall wheat or oats, or it may follow the harvest- 

 ing of either of those crops and still mature before frost. 

 There are other varieties which will occupy the ground 

 during the entire season when it is not needed for other 

 purposes. Whenever land would otherwise be idle during 

 any two months of warm weather, a crop of cow peas may 

 be grown upon it with profit in the crop itself and with 



