George Washington Carver: A National Agricultural Library Digital Exhibit

1923

National Agricultural Library

The annual farm value of cowpeas produced in the United States during recent years averages over $18,000,000. On most farms, however, the cowpea is grown largely as a catch crop, is considered of secondary importance as a money crop, and in many instances is handled in an unbusinesslike manner. This results not only in a direct monetary loss to the grower, but may mean a more serious economic loss to the farmers desiring to purchase cowpea seed.

The cowpea is of major economic importance in the crop rotation, especially in the Cotton Belt, but it is an uncertain producer of seed, and in some years there is an apparent shortage of stocks for planting purposes. Investigations show that almost invariably a lack of cowpea seed in any section may be attributed to inefficient farm preparation for market and inequitable distribution of existing stocks rather than to insufficient production. This bulletin points out some of the methods by which growers may conserve their surplus production of cowpeas, prepare them for market, and sell them in such a way as to return a greater net profit for themselves and to provide an adequate supply of good-quality stocks for farmers who find it necessary to buy.

Marketing the Cowpea Seed Crop