Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-14
FARM AND GARDEN.
The Planting. Culture. and saving OF
the Pea Nut.

lhE anu HHNAhA W
the Pea Nut.
We have received a number Of letters
from farmers in Middle Tennessee asking
for information concerning the cultivation
Of the pea nut or ground pea. The
Southern Calticator for March contains
an article on this subject from Mr.. n. NJ.
Nixon, Of New Hanover county, n. c.,
an experienced and very successful cult
yator OF this crop, and we reproduce it
for the benefit Of ths farmer readers Of
the UNIoN AND DISPATCH, as follows
/. Asto suitable soil Select light,
loamy soil, with an admixture Of sand
original growth oak, hickory, dogwood,
poplar, etc, and by no means wet, low, or
too fat. Land, where the long-leaf pine
has been the growth, is certainly objection
able, almost surely producing what is
termed pops or hulls without the kernel.
This can only be partially cured by thor
ough lining; shortleaf or rosemary pine,
growing with the trees first mentioned, is
not Objectionable.
LAM upon water courses are generally
found best adapted 10 the production of this
crop, being usually of the character men
toned above, particularly those upon the
sea coast, owing, / think, 10 the fact that
the ground pea requires, 10 some extent,
both lime and salt. Lime have found one
Of the beet applications, as by the use of
from thirty 10 sixty bushels to the acre Of
shell lime, sown upon the land, followed by
eighty to one hundred loads Of well rotted
leaves or woods mould, have increased
the product one-,hird to one-half, and that
too Of improved quality, almost entirely
exempt from pops.
Ashes, leached or unleached, are in
value, next to lime, having a similar effect
and possessing more feriilizing properties
than lime.
3 As 10 the preparation OF ile land.
Where there is trash or coarse vegetable
matter, il should be thoroughly cleaned of
or burnt Flush up neatly, If your lands
are light, with a small Tillman or other
turn pillow, six 10 eighth deep. Should
lands be at all stiff, break twice, the first
time being as early in winter as conYe-
nient, then, again, just before planting, in
order 10 have chem thoroughly broken and
IN good order, with the surface as nearly
level az possible. Lay eff the rows twenty
seven 90 thirty-two inches, according TO
quality of lands, with block pillow similar
TO that used for cotton, tapering down TO
one inch, or one inch and a quarter at the
bottom, with a strap Of iron half inch
thick on the bottom. Cross in the same
way, and drop, in each check, two peas
that have been carefully shelled by hand
without being split or bruised. Cover
with a hoe Carefully avoiding trash or
sods) from two to three inches deep.
Planting should commence about the
18th of April, and should be finished by
the 10th Of May, if possible, though have
known a tolerable fair crop made, planted
the last Of May or even the first Of June.
| would recommend early planting, how
ever, giving full time TO mature before
FROST Light lands, stimulated by manures,
are more certain to mature early.
3. Culture. They should be cultivated
with a sweep, having a share on each side
about three inches wide, attached 10 a coul-
ter and bar sloping of at an angle Of about
forty-fve degrees, ard cutting a furrow
from sixteen 10 nineteen inches wide. The
blowing should commence early in May,
or as soon as grass begins TO start, sweep
ing out each row with one furrow-hoea
following the plows Immediately the first
time after which, plows should run over
the entire crop once in each row, every
eight OF nine days, if possible; then cross
ing the other way the next eight or nine
days-hoes following and going over once
in sixteen or eighteen days. This mode of
blowing often, twice to each hoeing, makes
light and easy work, and, instead of wasting
time il really saves it--this being a crop
that will not admit of getting foul or
grassy, % il is then next to impossible 10
get it clean. | generally pillow seven or
eight times with four thorough hoeings -
then go through with the hoes. giving
what is termed a fiat wedding, shaving out
the punches Of grass where IL can be got at
with the hoes; and il any has been al
lowed 10 grow in the hills, pulling il out
carefully with the hand. This is the last
work done before harvesting.
4. Harvesting. This should commence
in October The exact time cannot be
fixed, bat depends somewhat upon the
quality OF lands aud seasons not always
upon the time OF planting, as they mature
in some seasons, and upon some lands,
earlier or later than others, but should
never be delayed until frost, as, in that
event, the stem, TO which the pea is at
tsched, will, in very few days, commence
to rot aud decay, aud, Gpon blowing, most
Of the peas are disengaged from the vine
and lefi in the ground.
Our new, fresh lands are suited to the
crop, or, if stimulated by manures, they
will mature earlier than without these ad-
vantsges.
The first step in harvesting is accom-
plished with pillow, made somewhat like
the one used in cultivating, only larger
and heavier, with one share only. This
share is fixed 10 a bar and coulier-share
attached 10 the coulter, in front the back
edge of which turns gently upward, so as
10 raise or loosen the earth above and cut
furrow nineteen or twenty inches wide.
This share is now deep enough 10 60 below
the pea on one side, then on the other. cut
ting the tap root the last time; about three
hands follow the pillow, shaking the vine
and peas from the dirt, which, being
loosened lev the pillow, is easily disengared0 |
and setting the vines on the tip ends, the
peas hanging on the inside for the purpose
Of drying or curing. The time required
for this can only be lodged Of by the gen
eral appearance. Ii depends mainly upon
the character Of the land aud its locality.
Upon the sea-ooasts, aud npon light lands,
with the advantages described above, they
msture earlier and cure in q much shorter
time than in the interior and upon lands
unsuited to their production in other re-
spects. The time required for curing will
be found TO vary from two TO Eve or SIX
days, according 10 the circumstances. When /
ready TO put up, they should be stacked in
stacks Of about one and a half Giers, avoid
ing all dampness from either dew or rain.
Let each hand take two rows, catching the |
top Of the bunch in the fingers. folding il |
together, with peas inside, catching them |
either on the knee or under the arm, press
lng them together, until from six 10 ten |
lunches, according 20 size, are folded to-
gethsr; then lay them down in the middle |
oil the row, pressing Them together, 50 az
70 prevent their getting tangled.