PEAS. 441 



This should be last of May or in the first ten days of June. The only 

 work they receive when planted in corn, is a shovel or Bweep furrow 

 run around them when the corn is being "laid by," unless there is much 

 grass, when it becomes necessary to give them a light hoeing. The 

 crop might be said to be made almost without work when planted with 

 corn ; in fact it is often so made by those planters who sow peas broad- 

 cast in their corn, and cover them with the last plowing given the 

 corn 



There is much diversity of opinion as to the proper treatment of $ie 

 vines in curing them for winter hay. And as much has been written 

 upon the subject, the writer feels some difiidence in giving his own 

 views. Suffice it to say, the great end to be attained is to cure the vines 

 to the extent only of getting rid of a part of the succulent moisture in 

 the vine, without burning up the leaves. When exposed to too much 

 heat, the leaves fall very readily from the stems, and are lost. 



When put up too green and too compactly, they heat, and when fer- 

 mentation of the juices in the vine and unripe pods occurs, the hay is 

 seriously damaged, if not completely spoiled. Mildewed hay of any 

 kind is but poor food for stock, and when eaten is only taken from 

 necessity to ward off starvation. v Borne planters house their pea hay in 

 open sheds, or loosely in barns, with rails so fixed as to prevent com- 

 pacting. Others stack in the open air around poles, having limbs from 

 two to four feet long, to keep the mass of vines open to the air, and 

 cover the top with grass. 



There is diversity of opinion as to the proper manner of curing and , 

 preserving this hay, but there is none as to the value of this rich food 

 for all stock, and especially for the milch cow in increasing the quantity 

 and quality of her milk. 



In attempting to renovate our soils by the aid of vegetable fertilizers, 

 we should not confine ourselves to one, but should utilize all which are 

 suitable to our soil and climate. The writer has some sixty or seventy 

 acres in clover, and in much of this grasses are sown. Orchard grass 

 and herds grass thrive well with us, whilst blue grass and timothy finds 

 a congenial home in the lime lands of Middle Tennessee. In no part of 

 the State does clover grow better, if so well as in West Tennessee. 



In considering the great advantages of the field pea to the agricultu- 

 ral interests of our people, I do not wish to be understood as disparag- 

 ing other vegetable renovators of the soil. The field pea certainly 

 possesses many advantages, such as its adaptability ffo almost any soil, 

 and to many crops grown with it at the same time, and with positive 

 benefit to the crop grown with it on the same ground. Bach row of 

 corn should be flanked by a row of peas. Every spot of ground in the 

 field too poor for corn can and will produce peas. There is nothing 



