14 AGKICULTUEAL VARIETIES OF THE COWPEA, ETC. 



on seeds secured in Berlin, the seeds being yellowish sprinkled with 

 dark specks. 



DESIRABLE CHARACTERS IN VARIETIES OF COWPEAS. 



The numerous varieties of coAvpeas exhibit a considerable range of 

 characteristics, but owing to the indeterminate nature of the plant's 

 growth, and the great fluctuating variations caused by soils or sea- 

 son, the characters are often obscured. The characteristics that are 

 most important in the cowpea when considered purely as a forage 

 crop are as follows : 1 



1. Size and vigor. 



2. Habit, especially erectness and height. 



3. Prolificness. 



4. Disease resistance. 



5. Weevil resistance of seeds. 



6. Ability to retain leaves late in the season. 



7. Time of maturity, or life period. 



8. Evenness of maturity. 



From our present knowledge of the cowpea we would define the 

 ideal forage variety to be planted alone as follows : Tall ; vigorous ; 

 bushy in habit; leafy, the leaves persisting late; prolific, the pods 

 well filled and held well above the ground ; the seeds hard and there- 

 fore rather small; medium early, maturing in 80 to 100 days; and 

 immune from or resistant to serious diseases. Toward the north 

 earlier maturing is desirable. For planting in corn or sorghum, a 

 strong vining habit is an additional desideratum. Fortunately, some 

 varieties are half bushy when planted alone, but sufficiently vining 

 where a support is available. Where cowpeas are to be used as 

 human food or to be pastured by hogs, the yield of pods and seeds is 

 most important, the erectness of the plant being a secondary 

 consideration. 



A number of existing varieties, as Whippoorwill, New Era, and 

 Iron, approach the foregoing ideal. There can be little doubt that 

 by the judicious crossing of these and other varieties this ideal, or 

 any similar one, can be closely realized. 



The seeds of white or nearly white cowpeas usually sell for a 

 higher price than do other varieties, owing to the fact that they are 

 used as a table vegetable. It is therefore desirable, if possible, to 

 develop a first-class forage cowpea with white or nearly white seeds. 

 Unfortunately, none of the white or nearly white seeded varieties 

 have the habit most desired in a forage cowpea. The crosses thus far 

 made to develop such an all-purpose cowpea are not satisfactory, 

 but the end is worthy of much more effort. 



1 Compare Galloway, B. T., Yearbook, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, for 1908. p. 147. 

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