ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC 
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not dare predict that they would ever grow another foot. They looked 
matured, finished, discouraged, and a physical examination of the soil 
explained it. A thin leaf mold, then sandy clay with a trace of iron, then 
clay, -and the whole as dry as a smoked herring, was what it showed. A 
variety of opinions were put forward as to the cause of the failure of 
this venture — mismanagement, poor soil, bad seed, grass, etc. — but to 
my mind the soil told the whole story. 
I have had so many inquiries concerning the cow pea that I want 
to add a word concerning it. The botanical name of the ordinary variety 
RUBBER TREE MONTHS OLD FROM SEED. 
is the Vigna kantaing. It is one of the well known leguminous plants 
of the southern states, grown partly for fodder and partly for hay. It 
makes the land richer because it returns to it so much of the mineral 
matter taken from the soil, and in addition much rfitrogen from the air. 
There are a number of varieties used through the southern states, such 
as the “clay/’ the “unknown,” and the “whippoorwill.” The advantages 
of the cow pea are. it is a nitrogen gatherer ; it shades the soil in summer, 
leaving it friable and loose ; it has a large root development ; is adapted 
to almost anv sort of soil ; stands heat and sunshine well ; and if sown 
