The Cultivation of Peas.

Southland Times, Issue 4499, 11 December 1882, Page 4

The Cultivation of Peas.

Tbi'ftia^ -a^ lagnminoni plant, and ia named by botanUU Pim* satovwn, or cultitattd pei. Its botanical character admits of only £&qmm*w xte& "» ■*•"» with W«Ur marked Lkti akiljuiiaiitttirt nwiinr tTm'hui^! vii^ oonriN tl* TM«i«i»-«dtable for gudea cs3f«ttwj «^«*^«iibhlf' iljtinfotobed l&kn&plj white Of both the^ ipecac* tkac axe i gt«t number of varieties cultiT»tod. Tke f«d«i wrtetfeaw «idl«M,Mid umowi^cSve innumetableadditioM ; and. bearing «amei of empexon, Dnchessei, men, IBteifit'ltOi 'if.-.;';" '•■:. .:-■■:.' ' "-■il'/i: ■:-. '-. 1V - The field pM nas generally a purple flower; fhe ■»dTl»eing;.eittier,,¥rhite, dun,, gray, or ; •pickled. Of th«w the following are tbe OolßMett'Oray.— This is the variety most commooly grown. It-is a late variety, -and Tery:*rc4ifi^. On rich soils it becomes too bulk* inihe Straw; but on dry soils, even if the dilmlte'be 1 mojst; it prodocM a good return. The pod is semi-cylindrical, long, and t weU^UTect 1 ; and contains from five to eight peaMedi.' 7 Towards the time of ripening,- but fitUfldiflerence is observable in the straw ;j batswh^n threshed out tnree distinctlymarked varieties appear— one, spotted witht> bluish-green ground ; qne, ; light blue ;nnd one liraisn'- Colored green, without spots. Wb#grown with beans (see culture of beans) the return is fre^entljrjvery largei Under ordinary circuodstances it is a good cropper. Tbeita*Wof the pea crop makes excellent loddfcr for all kinds of stock. • - Hastings' Gray is alate variety, but earlier than the last. The stemis 1 longer and ihore : «lcod«f iWrnib^^raffpngiay . ; Itepodsare long, cylindrical, and well rfitied- ; the seeds being compressed at the side. It is suitable for ligh<.«pili in; districts which, aie too late for .thjri common' gray, inhere its yield is always more satisfactory. -Warwick .Gray.— This it the earliest of the gray wrieties, J or indeed, of any of thetield peas. "lt is'alsoknown. by the name of Banbury; wSimble Hog Pea. It usually comes to maturity'.three' weeks earlier than the Hastings' Gray, and is therefore well adapted for late districts. . The stem is generally short —from two to three feet ; the pods sa-al', Btiaigllt^ and cylindrical ; cbntaimog from three'to five 5 sfeeds,' .Which are small, round, or slightly 'compreised, with small purplecolored speckles. ; '. . Rounceval Gray, ' Giant, or Dutch Pea. — This is I'the latest "and largest of the field pea.°, andiikewisfe tlie most vigorous in growth ; the •■ straw attaining a length of eight or ! ten' :j feet, !: .and'' seldom less than six feet£ "Trie pods are generally in pairs, broad. and rather flat-sided, and contain.five or six seeds, which are' a good deal flattened and wrinkled, of : a*dun'-bfown col er with small black/eyes/ It is less hardy ; than the foregoing; and is well suitable for a climate like New Zealand."' : Partridge, which is alko known by the names of Gray. Maple and ATarlborough Pea, is an;earlyvariety, ; taking place nest to the Warwick ;a'nd it is very generally esteemed as the best variety for cultivation, as it combines the properties of being very early, prolific, aria of excellent quality. It is a vigorous -grower^ with a stem about four feet long ;• leaves large and broad ; and bearing broad well-filled pods, containing from five to seven' seeds, . roundish in shapej of medium "'size, and of a yellowish brown speckled color, with light-colored eyes. Pnrple^pddded, or Australian. — This variety appears not ta be well-known in Europe, though some praise it as an excellent variety. T;: lt is suitable to late districts; is remarkably prolific, earlier even than the Partridge with stems from five to six feet long, carrying fleshy pods of a dark purple color, containing five or six seeds of an average size, slightly and irregularly compressed, and of alight dnnish color— always making an excellent sample. The color of the pods is not permanent ; sometimes they are met with grteo, Winter Pea.— •This is more generally met with on the Continent of Europe, but deserves to be cultivated also elsewhere. It is very hardy, and stands the severest winters without injury, coming to harvest much earlier than the spring varieiies. It grows to a height of from three to four feet. The pods are small, cylindrical, and straight ; containing from four to six peat, of a dark color, and smaller than any of the other varieties. It is the poit ffris d'Mver of the French. The pea delights in a calcareous formation of soils, and is classed as one of the lime plants. The soils most suitable for the pea culture are those of a loamy or marly character, rather partaking of the nature of our best barley soils. The conditions necessary to the pea are, that the >oil be quite free from stagnant water, and yet sufficiently moist at a depth, that it contain lime sufficient, and that it be in good heart, and well tilled. If these conditions cannot be secured, the chances of a satisfactory return are remote. Not only will the pea grow on a lighter class of soils than the bean, but it will also grow on shallower soils. Although its habit of growth and nutriment is the same, the plant itself ismore delicate in character, and its taproot contents itself with a less depth than tbe bean requires for its upright position. In some genial districts, and on the rubbly soils, too thin in many cases for beans, peas are cultivated successfully, and give very good j returns. Peas in ordinary farming seldom enter inio the regular rotation, though they ought to do so ; and a place similar to that assigned to beans suits them best. This can be very well done, as peas may be grown on soils which are not altogether suited for beans. On li^ht Soils, farmed on the four- course system, it is often desirable to make a change of some leguminous crop instead of clover, so (hat tbe soil may become renovated, In such cases peas would be a more suitable crop than beans, On stronger soils, where longer rotations are practised, it is always desiiablc that peas shonld be grown between two straw crops. If sown after a root-crop, the pea- straw grows too luxuriant, and in consequence tbe produce is diminished. They may be gro .vn instead of potatoes, when the soil is not considered rich enough for them ; and precede the wheat, when they will bave to be well manured.