The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-04-01

quest, | give you my experience
and observation as to the meth
DDS used in cultiyating the pea
mt.
The first consideration being
the adaptability of soils. With
US the light land on which the
oak, hickory and rosemary pine,
were the only growth, are those
on which we succeed best; they
produce a brighter pea than the
stiff lands, consequently more
saleable. Yet by an analysis of
the soil, and the application OF
the necessary fertilizers, any land
properly drained may be made to
produce them, whether profitably
or not experience will determine.
Lime in some form seems to be re :
quisite; when there is a deticien-
cy of lime in the land, although
the vine may flourish and make an
innumerable quantity of forms,
there will not probably be one in
ten that will fill or make perfect
peas.
The preparation OF soils, and
the minutia Of cultivating and
harvesting cannot be given fully,
in detail, without trespassing on
your columns. Suffice it to say
the soil should be well broken du-
ring winter or early spring, and
then broken Immediately before
planting. Like all other cops, it
requires a well pulverszed soil
then check off from twenty
seven to thirty inches each way,
with an opener prepared for the
purpose, so gauge that all the
rows are equidistant. Plant in
the check, two knernels in a hill,
and cover about two inches deep
The usual time of planting is
from the 18th of April to the 10Th
of May. AS soon as the peas are
up, we pillow them with pea
sweep, going once in a row, then
cross pillow, and follow with the
hoe. This process is continuous,
blowing them each way (and hoe
ing every fifteen to eighteen days,
until the vines meet, which, with
us, is about the 18th of July. The
object is to keep them free from
weeds and grass, and to keep the
soil well pulverized and in a con-
dition readily to receive the peas.
On stiff and damp lands some
prefer planting in drills, say three
feet between the rows and eigh-
teen inches apart in the drill } :,
then cultivate as cotton, only re-
tanning a fiat oval bed for the
peas.
After the vines meet, no further
work is necessary until harvest
ing, or as we term it, digging.
This is done with a plough, icon
structed for that purpose,) which
we run under them, cutting the
taproot, and so loosening the soil
that with the aid Of rake, they
are easily raised out of the ground
then shaken and left to cure as
other forage. 1t usually requires
two TO three days, in good weather
to cure them sufficiently for stack
ing. After remaing in the stack
six to eight days, they may be
removed and packed under shelter.
Then comes the most tedious pro-
cess, when done by hand, (Which
has been the usual way,) picking
them from the vines and prepar-
ii G them for the market. A ma
chine has been gotten up which
performs that work very well,
and is now being generally used.
The high prices obtained for The
peanuts the last three years, seem
20 have awakened considerable in
crest throughout the country in
heir cultivation but having
gone down this season below two
dollars, | think the general staple, |
cotton) will continue to be rails |
ID the ardor of the growers in
his section has cooled down con-
iderably since the decline in |
rice.
In former years, when prices
we're low, | looked upon peanuts
It one dollar per bushel, and cot
Oh at ten cents per pond, as equal,
he excess of that ratio, in either
rop, indicating the one most
'roftable. From having some
in both crops, | am in
Iuced to draw the comparison.
is true the otfal of a peanut
rop is more profitable in feeding
took, fattening pork, ETC., than
hat Of cotton, yet doubt whether
viii compensate for the damage
0 the land, peanuts being the
lost exhausting crop (save fax,)
know of, and more than one