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AGRICULTURAL VARIETIES OF THE COWPEA, ETC. 



varieties are as accurate as could be determined by any other feasible 

 method. 



A large proportion of the varieties can at once be eliminated 'on 

 account of poor habit, extreme lateness, or susceptibility to disease. 

 In such varieties the yield signifies but little. Of the really desir- 

 able varieties the yield of hay or of seed or of both, considered with 

 reference to habit and ease of harvesting, is, of course, determinative. 

 Many of the more desirable varieties have thus been tested at Arling- 

 ton Farm and at Chillicothe, Tex. Various experiment stations have 

 conducted similar work. Further comparative plat trials of the six 

 or eight .most desirable varieties need to be conducted, however, as 

 there is still considerable difference in opinion as well as divergence 

 in results regarding the relative values of the best varieties. Such 

 plat trials should be separate both for hay yield and for seed yield, 

 and ease or cost of harvesting should be given due consideration. 



THE BEST VARIETIES OF COWPEAS. 



After five years of extensive testing of cowpea varieties at Arling- 

 ton Farm, and to a less extent at Chillicothe, Tex., Monetta, S. C, 

 and Biloxi, Miss., the conclusion reached is that, everything con- 

 sidered, the most valuable American varieties of cowpeas from a 

 forage standpoint are Whippoorwill, Iron, and New Era, and their 

 hybrids, Brabham and Groit. Important, but of distinctly secondary 

 value, are such varieties as Unknown, Clay, Red Ripper, Black, and 

 a considerable number of others not grown extensively. Among the 

 little known varieties that are deserving of most careful testing are 

 Peerless, Red Yellowhull, and Red Whippoorwill. In regard to 

 table varieties, no opinion is vouchsafed. The general prejudice for 

 such purpose is in favor of white-seeded or nearly white-seeded 

 varieties. 



In order to ascertain the opinion of the various experiment-station 

 agronomists, based upon their experimental work and their knowledge 

 of their respective States, a letter was addressed to each, asking the 

 following questions : " What five varieties of cowpeas do you regard 

 as the best for your State ? " and " What five varieties of cowpeas are 

 most commonly grown by the farmers of your State ? " The answers, 

 briefly digested, are as follows: 



For Virginia, Mr. T. B. Hutcheson thinks the most commonly 

 grown varieties are Blackeye, Whippoorwill, New Era, Black, and 

 Clay. The Blackeye grown as a table pea has perhaps the greatest 

 acreage. The best varieties he thinks are Whippoorwill, Iron, New 

 Era, Black, Unknown, and Clay. For the same State, Commissioner 

 G. W. Koiner would place the list of the five leading varieties as 

 follows: Blackeye, Whippoorwill, New Era, Unknown, and Clay. 



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