GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 73 



The germ of the pea is never destroyed, and they grow equally as well as those with- 

 out holes. Market gardeners in this neighborhood who have been planting the Extra 

 Early Peas for years, will not take them without holes, and consider these a trade mark. 



FIEX/D or COW PEAS. 



There are a great many varieties of Cow Peas, different in color and growth. They 

 are planted mostly for fertilizing purposes and are sown broad-cast; when in a good stand, 

 and of sufficient height, they are plowed under. The Clay Pea is the most popular. There 

 are several varieties called crowders, which do not grow as tall as the others, but produce 

 a great many pods, which are used green, the same as snap beans, and if dried, like dried 

 beans, make a very good dish- The crowders are of an oblong shape, almost pointed at 

 one end; they are on an average larger than the other Field Peas. Lady Peas are small, 

 white, with a black eye; they are generally planted between corn, so that they can run 

 upon it. Dry. they are considered the very best variety for cooking. The Clay and Un- 

 known Peas produce the most vines. 



IMPROVED VEI/VET BEAN. 



The Improved Velvet Bean as a Fertilizer. — The Improved Velvet Bean, or 

 more properly, "Pea," (as it belongs to the Cow Pea family) is a vining or climbing plant 

 growing to forty and fifty feet, and branches literally covered with foliage. It is a nitro- 

 genous plant, enriching the ground so much that Orange growers in Florida plant the 

 Velvet Bean in their groves for fertilizer as well as forage. When planted in rows four feet 

 apart and one foot in the rows, two or three beans in a place, as soon as danger of frost is 

 past, cultivated once or twice to give vines a start of weeds and grass, they grow very rap- 

 idly, and in two months the under leaves begin to drop and by fall the mulch of leaves is 

 often six to eight inches deep. The vines and leaves have covered the ground four feet 

 deep. The growth is so dense that it kills out cocoa or nut grass, Johnson grass and Ber- 

 muda. In fact the light is so thoroughly excluded that no other grass or weed can grow. 

 The value of the vines and leaves for forage is good, and as a fertilizer it settles the ques- 

 tion of making Orange groves without other plant food until the trees come into bearing, 

 then Potash should be used. Turn the vines, leaves and beans under in February and they 

 will reproduce themselves. The best thing for piny wood lands. 



Velvet Beans are cheaper at $4.00 per bushel than Cow Peas at $1.25, as it requires but 

 1 peck per acre, whereas Cow Peas require \% bushels. 



This is a good thing. I planted half an acre last July which put my ground in fine 

 condition, from sod to a finely pulverized, for fall gardening. Three rows were left for 

 seed and are now ripe enough to gather. The Velvet Bean cannot be too highly recom- 

 mended both as a stock food and a fertilizer. W. B. Gray. 



PEPPER. 



Piment (Fr.), Spanischer Pfeefer (Ger.), Pimento (Sp.) 



Sweet Spanish or Monstrous. I Long Red Cayenne. Tabasco. 



Sweet Pepper, Ruby King. Red Cherry. Red Cluster. 



Golden Dawn Mango. Bird Eye. Celestial. 



Bell or Bull Nose. Chili. 



Peppers are tender and require to be raised in the hot bed. Seed should be sown in 

 January, and when large enough transplanted into the ground in rows from one and a half 

 to two feet apart, and a foot to a foot and a half in the rows. There are more Pep- 

 pers raised here than in other sections of the country; the hot varieties are used for season- 

 ing and making pepper sauce; the mild variety is highly esteemed for salad. Care should 

 be taken not to grow different kinds close together, as they mix very readily. 



Sweet Spanish or Monstrous. A 



very popular variety, much cultivated. It 

 is very mild, grows to a large size, tapering 

 towards the end, and, when green, is used 

 as a salad. Superior for that purpose to 

 any ther kind. 



Sweet Pepper, Ruby King. This 

 variety grows to a larger size than the 

 Sweet Spanish Monstrous, and is of differ- 

 ent shape. The fruit is from 5 to 6 inches 

 long by about 3 to 4 inches in diameter, 

 and of bright red color. It is remarkably 

 mild and pleasant in flavor, and can be 

 sliced and eaten as a salad the same as the 

 Spanish Monstrous. Single plants ripen 



from 8 to 10 fruits, making this variety both 

 productive and profitable. A decided ac- 

 quisition. 



Golden Dawn Mango. This sweet 

 pepper attracted much attention for the 

 last few years, and was admired by all who 

 saw it. We believe it to be all the origina- 

 tor claims for it. In shape and size it re- 

 sembles the Bell. Color, a bright waxy 

 golden yellow; very brilliant and handsome. 

 Single plants ripen from twelve to twenty- 

 four fruits, making them productive and 

 profitable. They are entirely exempt from 

 any fiery taste or flavor, and can be eaten 

 as readily as an apple. 



