PEAS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3192, 21 September 1881, Page 4

PEAS.

The American Farmer says : —There is no crop that requires the soil to be so well tilled as the poa. The land should be deeply stirred, so that the long tap roots can go in search of food and moisture. In the spring —about the middle of May—one hundred pounds (100 lbs.) of plaster to the acre should be sown and ploughed in the depth of six(6) inches. When the peas are all up, one bushel of plaster to the acre should be sown on them. Gypsum or piaster is of the greatest benefit to this crop. The tap roots will penetrate the .earth in search of it, and consequently will stand the drought of summer much better. The thin places should be manured wi'h good application of blood and bones ploughed in to the depth of six (G) inches. This manure is rich in phosphate which peas, clover, and wheat deliglu in, and will make a far heavier growth of peas, which, in my opinion, is the best part of this green crop for manuring purposes. Therefore they should not be grazed or picked off. It will pay best on the wheat crops, and also greatly improve the land, which is of vital importance. Two (2) bushels of peas to the acre is about the correct quantity. If sown thinner the grass and weeds will take possession of the land ere the pea has obtained any growth. The proper time to turn thorn is when the vines begin to turn yellow, the leaves commeneo to fall, and from half to two-thirds of the peas are ripe. They should not be ploughed in too deep ; six inches is sufficient, pi'ovided the vines can be all covered at this depth, because when put in too deep the growing crop of wheat cannot obtain the desired nourishment.