The union Democrat., 1870-03-19
Peanut Raising in Caiifornia.

Tie Stockton Independent has the following
interesting information on peanut raising
But the annual report Of the Commissioner of
Agriculture, for the year 1868, shows that
the peanut is an important, desirable and
most profitable crop. As to relative profits.
he makes this comparison "Assuming that
the average yield of cotton to the acre is half
a bale. or 2o5 pounds, and that ii is worth %
cents a pound. the aggregate proceeds would
be $50 25. An average crop of tobacco does
not exceed GOO pounds, nor the average price
SO per hundred: the gross proceeds would,
therefore amount to $50. An average crop
of peanuts is fifty bushels per acre, which
may lie put ut S2 so per bnshel, aggregating
Sl25; so that it appears that at one-half price,
or one-half the products, the peanuts as proh-
table as either cotton or tobacco" In East
ern Virginia the production of this crop has
for several years been annuity trebling, un-
til, in 1868 it aggregated 5000 bushels,
which was readily marketed ut an average
of 50 IS per bushel. The product for 1869
was estimated at a million bushels, without
diminution in price,. Any soil that can be
put in friable condition, and kept in that
state, will produce peanuts but a lisht-gray
soil, not too sandy, is best adapted to their
growth, for the reason that the pod always
partakes of the color of the soil. the brightest
pods are most salable, and the gray land
makes brightest pods. As to cultivation, the
land should be plowed in March or April to a
depth not exceeding four or FIVE inches, and
allowed to lay fallow until the 10th or Goth
of May, which is the time for planting. If
the land is poor and large crop is desired,
any ordinary manure may be used with ad-
vantage, but Peruvian guaho is considered
the best and most economical. Lime is essen
tial to the production of good crop, and if
the soil is deficient in this respect it must be
supplied. Some Of the Virginia planters, by
liberal treatment as to manuring and in the
use Of lime. have procured crops of one hun
dred and fifty blshels per acre. The favor
ite method of preparing the land for planting
10 to run burrows three feet apart, ridge them
over and thus throw the surface into three
feet beds. and then mark off the rows, and at
distances of eighteen inches plant two seeds,
covering them not more than an inch to an
inch and half deep. In ten days to two
weeks the young plants begin to come up,
when the missing hills should be promptly
replanted. As soon as the grass makes its
appearance light blowing is given, followed
by the hoe, and, when the grass reappears,
by replowing and hoeing.
In Virginia the time for hervestingis from
the 18th to the 30th of October, but sometimes
the operation is commenced in the latter part
of September. The longer the vines are al
lowed to grow the greater will be the number
of sound pods. The operation of harvesting
and picking is simple and easily acquired,
and it is doubtful whether any branch of hus-
bandry can be conducted with greater comfort
and less risk in proportion to profit. In aa-
dition to their marketable value as an edible,
they produce an oil which cannot be distin-
guished from olive oil, but is sold as such,
and the vines make excellent fodder. Chi
nese experimenters near Oroville and in the
lower portion of Placer County have proven
that California is we'll adapted to this crop.
and have realized much money from the hus-
mess of raising and marketing it. The Oro-
Vile crop, with the thorough cultivation usu-
al among the Chinese. amounted to about ten
tons in 1869, or about 240 bushels per acre,
and was readily disposed of at the rate Of three
and quarter a bushel! Considering that
railroad facilities furnish o market which is
virtually incapable of being glutted. and in
view of the assertion that eny good wheat
land is equally susceptible of producing pen
nuts. it would seem that some of our more
enterprsing farmers might venture on an ex-
pertinent.