FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 273 



Preparation of the Seed Bed. 



Most growers claim that it is advantageous to fall plow the 

 land for the field pea, on account of the necessity for early seed- 

 ing. It is usually possible to sow a week earlier when the land 

 has been fall plowed than if it is plowed in the spring, and the 

 opening up of the soil to the action of the frost during the win- 

 ter also improves its texture. Spring plowing is satisfactory if 

 it can be done early, and where the seed is to be broadcasted by 

 hand it is easier to cover it properly on freshly turned land than 

 on plowed land which has been allowed to settle during the win- 

 ter. Where the ground is fall plowed it is well to work it with^ 

 a disk as early as possible in the spring and smooth it down after 

 the disk with a drag harrow in case the seed is to be planted with 

 a drill. If one expects to sow the field peas by hand, the ground 

 may be left slightly rough and the seed covered vAth a disk har- 

 row. Finely pulverized soil is advantageous for the field pea, 

 but not so necessary for it as for the small grains, since the seed 

 is much larger and the small plant correspondingly stronger. 



Time for Seeding. 



An important thing to remember is that the field pea must' 

 be planted early enough to have time to set its pods before they 

 warm weather of summer arrives. High temperatures are of 

 value to the pea crop only during the ripening period. The young 

 plants are not harmed by light frosts, and even as far north as 

 southern Canada and the northern part of Michigan, Wisconsin, 

 and Minnesota the seed can be planted during the latter part of 

 April and the first of May. In t|he intermountain sections of 

 Colorado, \\^^oming, Montana and Idaho, from the first to the 

 middle of April is the most favorable time. Throughout ' the 

 Southern and Pacific Coast States, in localities where there is 

 little danger of a hard freeze during the winter ,the field pe.a 

 should be seeded in the fall or early winter. At, San Antonlio, 

 Tex., the best time for seeding was found to be November 15 to 

 30. In intermediate latitudes, where hard freezes may be ex- 

 pected during the winter, farmers sometimes sow the peas in 



