The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-02-05
'sHhe Peanut Crop.

The Republican has not failed to
roint out the many sources of profit that
may be made to accrue to those who en-
ter upon the cultivation of the soil in
Louisiana. The culture 1cotton, sugar
rice, corn, and sweet potatoes is attend
ed with better results here, upon those
lands adapted to the growth of these sta
pie articles, than upon the lands of any
other State of the Union where these az
ticles are raised. But as our State has
entered upon new era in the planting
interest, with free labor to work out the
problem OF wealth, and it is blessed with
a variety of soil, it may be we'll to take
into consideration the cultivation of all
articles that are capable of rendering
rich returns to the husbandman. Much
of the land in Louisiana is of the kind
that prevails in North Carolina, and is
unfit tor the profitable production Of our
leading staples, but might be rendered
profitable in the production OF the pea
nut crop il the following account, given
by the Norfolk Journal of this crop up
on the farm of Gen. Bryan Grimes, in
Washington county, North Carolina, be
true. The editor of the Journal, who
evidently writes from personal obServa-
tion, says upon this subject:
The most remarkable feature we notl-
ced' on the farm was an experiment in
raising peanuts, which consisted In
field Of five hundred and forty acres de-
voted to this crop. We have seldom wit
messed a prettier crop Of any kind, or
onethatwe think will pay as we'll. In
deed, the value of this peanut patch is
incredible. Here is a low estimate off S
valuvi: Fifty bushels to one acre land
its estimate would be nearer right at one
hundred bushels per acre), gives US
$4,000, which, at the moderate price OF
two dollars per bushel, will be s54, 900.
Twenty five hundred pounds Of "lo.g TO-
rage" to the acre will make 1,350,0OO
pounds, worth at least fifty cents per
hundred weight, makes $3.50. The
peas that are left in the field with the
'.pops," which are unsaleable' will tat,
ten 600 head Of hogs-averaglng loo
pounds, will be 10000 pounds OF pork.
which at thirty dollars per thousand
pounds will give $4,000; total ss7 oOo.
If the editor of the Journal is correct
in what he says, the peanut crop may
be certainly made to be profitable here
and as the lands upon which peanuts can
be grown, are what are termed uplands'
they can be purchased at a much cheap
er rate than lands used for the cultlva-
ton of cotton and sugar; and these up
lands are far preferable to live upon
from the fact that they are not subject
to overAows and give health to those
who reside upon them. The pine lands
of North Carolina. where peanuts are
raised, are noted more for their health
giving properties to the people that have
resided upon them i'll the past than tor
any rich returns in the way OF crops TO
those who have cultivated those lands;
but with the showing hat is mads abovf
we doubt whether five hundred acres "i
land cultivated 10 cotton or sugar In any
4 portion Of this State, can be made TO ex
ceed in value, after expenses are defray
ed, the crop of pean.s is raised by Gen
Crime. in North Carolina. Here then
in the piny regions of our State Is anoth
er source OF wealth ops ned to those wht
ultivate the soil. The peanut crop mus
be much easier to cultivate and gathr1
than either cotton or sugar, and, there
fore, much less expensive and well "dap
ted to those who find themselves shor
of help iu the cultivation Of those art'
cles.-N: 0 Republican. ...