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Show COWPEAS SUCCEED ON ALL TYPES OF SOILS Crop Is Adapted to About Sams Conditions as Corn. Withstands Considerable Degree of Drought, but Leaves Are Injured by Least Toueh of Frost-Valuable Frost-Valuable in Orchards. Prepared by the United States Department Depart-ment of Agriculture. The cowpea is a warm-weather crop ; therefore It lias the jreatest value In the southern states, gradually gradu-ally lessening northward. It is grown successfully, however, In the southern parts of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and New Jersey, and in parts of Michigan. Mich-igan. In general, the cowpea is adapted to about the same climatic conditions as corn, but it requires somewhat more heat. It will withstand a considerable degree of drought, but under very dry conditions will produce only a moderate quantltv of hay and I s31 Field of Cowpeas. a very small number of seeds, If any. Both In spring and In fall the leaves are injured by the least touch of frost, and a heavy frost Is always fatal. The cowpea withstands moderate shade sufficiently well to be valuable in orchards. In heavy shadt the plants are usually much attacked by mildew. The cowpea succeeds on practically all types of soli. It does apparently quite as well on sandy soils as on heavy clays, but will do better than clover or alfalfa on thin soils or soils that are poor in lime. No other legume can be grown so successfully and on such a variety of soils under adverse conditions as the cowpea. A very rich soil is not conducive to the best results with this crop. On such a soi an abundant vine growth is produced, while the yield of gra'n is small. Poor soils will produce little growth of vine, but will generally yield a good proportion of seed. Clay soils will not produce a heavy yield the first year, but the crop will succeed suc-ceed much better the second season. It may be said that the cowpea will do best on good corn land, but will thrivte on all types of soil that are well drained, properly inoculated, and moderately rich. |