Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-27
CULTURE OF THE PEANUT.


reference to the culture, management, etc,
Of the peanut crop. \ good deal on that
subject has already appeared in these col
umns, but the evidently growing interest in
peanut culture for Texas has secured the
consent Of our mind to 60 over it all once
more in IS few words as possible.
The most universally known common name
for the crop IS peanut. IN some localities it is
called ground nut, but this is not q safe
name owing 10 the fact that the chufa is
often called ground nut. An article referring
10 the ground nut, without a minute de-
scription, would leave the reader in doubt
as 10 which of the two was meant very
common name for it in the South is pindar,
while the negroes Of the Southern states
almost invariably refer TO it as "the
goobern Its botanical name, that by which
1t IS known to scientists in all parts of the
civilized world, is Archis hypog;ea.
Roasted peanuts are more or less exten-
sively sold throughout the United States,
IN the winter season at least. More of
them are consumed at tine North than at
The South, however, Northern city with
out peanut stands here and there all along
It's business streets would now be looked
upon as veritabe curiosity. While the
Southern cities are not yet fully up to the
cities of the North in their patronage of
peanut vendors, they are rapidly falling
into line. There are fewer roasted peanuts
consumed in Fort Worth than in any city
OF its size that we have yet seen, but the
prominent signs of last winter convinced
US that our people were fairly in the way of
learning the arr and getting their city into
The fashion.
To be sold rs roasted peanuts does not
cover near all the uses 10 which the product
IS now applied. II takes thousands OF
bushels to make all the peanut candy sold,
snd additional thousands of bushels TO fill
a. the demands Of the chocolate manufac-
turers. In times past chocolate was made
from chocolate nUts-the seeds of small
tropical tree known to science as Theo-
broma cacao-but not so now. Chocolate
manufacturers have learned that consumers
viii drink peanut chocolate" with just as
much relish as they would the other kind,
aud since peanuts Of temporarily America.are
tropics, the chocolate OF to-day usually
lacks 4 great deal Of being exactly in accord
with the label on the package carrying a
picture Of the tropical tree.
81 you see, there exists little danger Of
our ever Cutting the peanut market. The
demand for the product, already very
.arge, is rapidly on the increase with each
succeeding season.
Most of the peanuts on the American
market are raised in Virginia, Tennessee
and North Carolina. Above Tennessee the
crop cannot be made TO succeed, hence We
have IN the peanut q crop climatically Sc
cured TO the South. We advocate peanut
culture for Texas on account of knowing
from cur own personal familiarity with It
IN Tennessee. that Texas possesses every
requirement of the crop, and furthermore
because we know the crop 10 be . very
profitable one
The peanut does best on well-lrained land
OF a friabe character A little sand in the
composition Of the soil adds 10 its advan-
tageS for the crop, owing 10 the fact that
there is less danger of packing o. baking.
exactly right for it, provided they have
natural drainage sufficient to prevent sog-
giHeSS; that is, 10 prevent water from
standing in the ground within three or four
feet Of the surface. Like clever and alfalfa
the peanut is a tap-root plant, and there
fore would be damaged BY soggy sub soil.
BY far the largest quantity of peanuts pro-
in La
oHd bottoms (above overflow of the Ten
nessee river, lands much like our bottom
lands in Texas, though not near so good.
The main thing, additionally 10 good ma
tural drainage, is soil not inclined to pack
II 4 purely clay soil is cultivated to the crop
al abundance of vegetable matter should be
turned into il 10 keep it friable. This
should be attended to in fall preceding the
spring in which the crop is to be planted.
Turn in vegetable matter-weeds, grass or
anything else Of that character-and let it
rot through winter. The peanut needs
fairly good soil for best results, but not an
extremely rich soil, like cotton or corn
And unlike cotton or corn it never makes
Tie soil any poorer. It's long tap oroot aud
1+S' i'-LNtllAS p'NtAtldA tltS9 give IL IcHuNdl-
ing characteristics about on par with
Hose Of either clover or field peas
Early in spring break the land deeply,
ana pulverize thoroughly by the liberal use
oI j harrow. Lay of rows three and half
Iect apart, and so soon rs danger from frost
Is over drop the peas in hills two feet apart
IN the row, covering 10 the depth OF from
two 10 three inches. Don't hull the peas,
Is some recommend, but drop pod and all.
i hulled they might come up little sooner,
but not enough sooner 10 be worth consid-
GRAFTON: besides, the Young plant needs the
hull to feed upon ere ii has fairly taken TO
the soil. Put four peas in each hill, as
some will not come up. When up and es-
J4Dlished, thin down to two plants in the
Lii. In case of missing hills replant By
transplantihg from the surplus-the peanut
trausplsnts readily If handled in 4 damp
lime
Never think OF planting in ridges, and in
al your after cultivation keep your land as
!eyel as you can. The after culture is ex-
t-eInely simple, nothing being required
other than 10 keep down weeds and grass
and TO stir the surface slightly with a har-
row or some other suitable implement, al
ter beating rain, to prevent packing. Lay
By so soon as the plants are running suff-
ciently 70 be in the way of culture. If the