Edible Products. 



130 



[February, 1909. 



bered that cow-peas readily alter their 

 habits in response to local conditions of 

 soil and moisture. 



The seed-pods range in length from 4 

 to 16 inches. These, with the seeds, 

 are of all sorts, shapes, and colours. 

 Each sort varies in time of maturing, 

 habit of growth, ripening and other 

 features. It is best to select tested 

 varieties for the main crops and to con- 

 duct tests with new sorts on a small 

 scale. 



The most satisfactory variety subject- 

 ed to a series of trials here for the past 

 six years is Poona, an upright, bushy 

 plant, of vigorous and dense growth. 

 This was originally imported by the 

 late Mr. Farrer, from the Department 

 of Agriculture of India. We have had 

 a yield as high as ten tons to the acre 

 from it. Cow-peas revel in heat and sun- 

 light, and will thrive on a wide range 

 of soils ; generally they do best on light 

 soils. The light saudy loams at this 

 College have always afforded good re- 

 turns from this plant. The only soil in 

 which it will not tespond is that which 

 is constantly wet. In all cases the 

 soil should be deep, well drained and 

 mellow. 



On impoverished soils the crop is one 

 of the safest and most certain renova- 

 tors. Being a hot-climate plant it is 

 necessarily very susceptible to frost, and 

 planting should not commence until 

 frosty weather has passed. November 

 is usually the month to sow the main 

 crop, although successful crops have 

 often been secured from October sow- 

 ings. Fresh sowings may be continued 

 until February. The soil must be well 

 cultivated and brought into a fine con- 

 dition of tilth. Where manure is re- 

 quired, the best stimulant to rich 

 growth can be secured from an appli- 

 cation of fertilizers affording phosphoric 

 acid and potash. This is supplied by the 

 following :— 



Superphosohate, 200 lb. ; Muriate of 

 potash, 100 lb. per acre spread broadcast. 

 In some soils— clay loams— it is found 

 essential to release plant-food by dress- 

 ings of lime at the rate of half to one 

 ton per acre, 



The best practice is to sow the cow- 

 peas in drills 2 ft. 6 in. apart, the seed 

 6 to 8 inches from each other, and 

 covering with soil about 2 inches. 



The use of a maize drill fitted with a 

 plate having § inch holes facilitates 

 sowing. 



Cow-peas germinate quickly on moist, 

 well-prepared soils. The whole crop 



grows rapidly and evenly. Shallow cul- 

 tivation should be followed once a 

 month with scuffler or cultivator until 

 the plant is developed. 



Of late years the practice of sowing 

 climbing varieties of cow-peas with 

 maize or sorghum has been adopted with 

 very good returns. The yield per acre, in 

 many instances, has been doubled. For 

 conservation as silage this class of crop 

 is becoming increasingly popular, especi- 

 ally the combination of maize with cow- 

 poas, -seeing the increase of protein by 

 ihe latter asissts to balance the food 

 constituents. 



In using the crops for hay the best 

 time to cut is when the first pods beign 

 to ripen. Like Red clover it is liable to 

 heat if carted and stacked too early. 



The cut hay should be left exposed to 

 the sun for a few hours, and then put 

 into cocks for thiity-six to forty-eight 

 hours. 



Care should be observed in drying not 

 to allow the leaves to become brittle. 



If the hay be too moist when stacking 

 it is likely to beeome mouldy. It should 

 be carefully stacked and protected from 

 the weather. 



The following statement of the ana- 

 lyses of cow-pea hay and lucerne hay 

 shows their respective merits for stock 

 feed : — 



Mois- Pro- Carbo- 

 ture. teirj. Pat. hydrates. Ash. 



% % % % % 

 Lucerne hay .. 6-95 10-48 2'02 42-62 7 40 

 Cowpea hay.. 10-29 19-72 4-04 45-15 9-10 



Soy or Soja Bean. 

 This plant conies from Japan, and of 

 late years has attracted attention as an 

 annual leguminous plant which produces 

 the richest of all beans in protein and 

 fat. It closely resembles the cow-pea, is 

 of bush form, erect, hairy, branching 

 freely and growing to a height of 2 to 

 5 feet. 



The seed pods are clustered on the 

 main steins and branches, are 1 to 2 

 inches long, and contain from 1 to 3 

 seeds or beans. 



They give a greater yield of beans 

 than cow-peas. They are not trailing in 

 habit, hence are more easily harvested. 

 They mature early, but last longer than 

 cow-peas, and afford a longer season for 

 pigs to feed on them. Either the green 

 forage, hay, or beans sbould be associ- 

 ated with other foods owing to their 

 richness- In feeding the bean it should 

 not be more than one-fifth of the total 

 ration. As high as ten bushels of beans 



