, 1892-07-09

t~ivators of this commodity in Tennessee, and
personally recognizing the value and weight
it adds to this article, | present, by permits
sion, the experience of DIR. w. H.. Walker and
Hon. s. G. Jones
DR.. Walker says
''Fo peanuts a light soil is best, a good
deal of sand being no disadvantage to 1t.
Heavy clay or limestone soils do not suit pea
nuts in this country. / use no fertilizers.
None are used in Tennessee, 30 far as | have
learned. Barn-yard manure makes too much
vine, and the best fertilizer, in my opinion, is a
good crop Of clover preceding them.
II break my ground well in the first part of
the winter ~(clover land, however, l turn in the
fall, using a two-horse turning-plow, and above
all, breaking deep. l break again about the
last of April, and pulverize the clods with a
Thomas harrow, so as to have my land in fine
filth. / plant from the tenth to the TWEEN
tieth of May, always in drills, which are
about thirty inches apart, and plant every
twenty inches in a row, putting two kernels
to the hill. | use two bushels and a half I'm
the huID Of seed to the acre. This is a liberal
allowance, but it is the best one to secure q
stand. / lay of my ground with a bull
tongue Just in front of the planters, and cover
them with a small one-horse turning-plow, or
with a double shovel, kept bright. A week
after planting run the pillow on the other side
of the drill so as to make a ridge; this is then
blocked off, and this gives the nuts a start of
weeds. The blocker is made by fastening a
bulItongue stock to a piece Of timber four and a
half feet long, and this is used by dragging it
over the tops of the rows; this gives room for
the sprout Of the pea to come out, and sweeps
off the young grass"
Hon. S. c.. Jones writes:
arc tho Iopd IN which I inland RI p1op4
is stubble land, it is turned in the fall,
and let all my land lie in the spring un-
til "a full coat Of grass and weeds comes up
on it, which is then turned over. If time will
allow, l let another growth Of green stuff come
and turn again, narrowing after each Of these
plowings. In this way | kill many of tho
weeds that would annoy me throughout the
season. / plant two bushels of white nuts to
the acre, aud three bushels Of red nuts. This
is equivalent to about twenty-eight and forty
two pounds, respectively, Of shelIed nuts.
When | get ready to plant, which is generally
from the twenty-ffth of April to the fifteenth
of May running sometimes, however, to as
late as the tenthof june level the land with
a harrow, and check the white nuts thirty-two
inches each way. For red nuts, ! lay off tho
rows thirty inches apart, and put one nut every
six inches or two every thirteen inches, the
latter giving more space Iof nO6luS.'
'In ordinary years, the bottom lands, with a
small admixture of sand, make the best yield,
both in quantity and quality, averaging about
sixty bushels per acre. In wet years, however,
the clay uplands make the best yield and bright
est nuts"
The season for planting depends entirely
upon the conditions of soil and climate.
1t is fatal to rapid, and in some instances to
termination at all, to plant before the soil has
become thoroughly warm and dry, as the pea
nut is more than sensitive to unfavorable con-
ditions and is, therefore, liable to have its ger
mination so arrested that it would seriously
affect the final outcome. In the latitude in
which Ohio, Indiana and Illinois are situated,
planting can safely begin by May 20, as you
are then reasonably sure of continued warm
weather for a sufficient period to allow the
vines to come to the surface, and should unfa-
vsrable weather then set in, no appreoiable
damage would be incurred.
In planting on rich soil ample space (say
from twenty-five to thirty inches between the
hills and rows) should be allowed for luxuri.
ant growth of the vine, as proper cultivation is
rendered impossible when he vines interlock.
On poor soil, twenty-five inches each way
would be q sufficient allowance.
Replanting of this oropis very simple. In from
ten to fifteen days, should the seed be good,
the earth around the hills will begin to swell
and crack, and when this does not occur in the
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