Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-11-24
THE PEANUT CROP.

This pea is becoming very great item
in the production Of the region round
about Norfolk. There is no crop that
produces like il, when we take into eou.
siderstion the certainty of the yield, the
readiness Of ssle, and the high price it
commands. Berries may produce more
to the acre when the season is very fa-
vorabls and the prices rule high before
the markets. is glutted; but taking the
risk Of raising them into consideration,
and the accidents affecting their sale,
We think that the peanut is safer crop,
and that it will produce more money in
any ten years on q given number Of
acres,
The ground necessary to produce the
peanut must be prepared for it. It must
be in good condition, and lime and ashes
| must be always present in the manure
used. Lime at the rate of three bushels
to the acre viii prevent pops, /. e., hulls
without kernels.
The peanut must be planted in rows
three feet apart, and tae hills must be
from twelve to eighteen inches asunder,
as the strength of the land viii bear. The
yield on good land runs ss high az one
hundred and twenty-five bushels to the
acre, which, at three dollars bushel, is
as good crop as can be raised.
II proper care be taken in preparing
the land, it can be made to produce much
more than this, however; and when our
| farmers cultiyste smaller areas OF land,
and manure more scientifically. there il
no reason why the yield should not
amount to two hundred and fifty or three
hundred bushels an acre, and Of 8 finer
quality than what are now generally
produced.
in the cultivation of the peanut, as In
everything else, our people will soon find
out that small farms we'll and scientific
ally mRnured, and well attended to, will
produce much more of 8 better quality
and bringing better price, than much
larger amount of land cultivated after
the old fashion, This is a plain PROPOSE
ton, and 1t would seem TO be easily
! grssped by people OF common sense but
at the same time men are SO very tepa-
eious OF the old system that it will take
some years to thoroughly teach them to
practice what tnsy will nearly all assent
TO in theory.
The far larger portion of the peanut
crop raised in this region is sent to the
North, where it readily brings from two
dollars and half to three dollars. q
bushel. Besides being eaten, it is ap-
piled largely TO the manufacture OF oil,
which enters largely into the aduItera-
tion of what is sold as pure olive oil
with French labels printed in this
country.
The plant was imported into tbs coll
ony Of Virginia from Africa. The Congo
name for it 10 the qou6G pes, by which
sppellation 1t is still known in England.
Some of our readers may remember the
exquisite piece of humOr written about
ten or twelve years ago by our
friend Ridgway, then Of the Richmond
Whig, in which he SO admirably took off
the style of Gov. Wise in communities
ton on the goA6o pea, purporting to be
written by the Governor to an agricul-
tural society.
Peanuts must become an article Of
large expectation to England. The plant,
since it has been cultivated ia this coun-
try, has lost much OF the greasy rank
Rees OF the African pea, which is the va
riety still chiefly used In England, I'M
ported direct from Guinea. This is
Iar inferior to ours for the purposes of
eating simply parched, or as conapo-
| nent part OF confectionery. We doubt
not that after while the American arti-