How to Grow the Cow Pea and 40 Ways of Preparing It as a Table Delicacy

Date

1917

Source of Digital Item

National Agricultural Library

Excerpt

Among the many rich blessings especially given to the South, there are but few, if any, that stand out more prominently than the cow pea, for the following reasons:

1. It is a legume (pod-bearing plant), and brings fertility to the soil. In this it has but few equals, and still fewer superiors.

2. As a food for man and beast the peas are almost indispensable, and the vines make a very superior roughage for stock.

3. Year by year this splendid vegetable becomes more popular — the radius over which it is grown has steadily increased until there is scarcely a section of the country where farming is carried on to any considerable degree, that it may not be found in some one or more of its several varieties as forming one of the principal crops.

4. There are few crops grown by the farmer that has such a wide range of uses.

5. It is one of the easiest of farm crops grown, making a fair yield under absolute neglect.

6. It is the one sure crop the farmer can depend upon year after year if he plants two or more’ of the standard varieties.

7. In this locality fresh green peas may be had from the latter part of May until frost.

8. Thus far the demand has been far greater than the supply; hence, prices have always been good.

9. For green-manuring it is universally grown and admired.

10. When the running varieties are planted with corn, sorghum, etc., it makes a very superior silage, greatly relished by all kinds of stock.

11. The cow pea rightly handled is both a bank and a mortgage-lifter to the poor man.

It is a matter of much regret that every colored farmer in Macon County does not plant at least three acres in peas.

Title

How to Grow the Cow Pea and 40 Ways of Preparing It as a Table Delicacy