CHAPTER XIV 
OTHER LEGUMINOUS FORAGE CROPS 
Muc# 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 different 
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 
(253) 
