Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-20


,.-a Of frizble character. A little sand
tts5tbe composition of the soil adds to
its advantages for the crop, owing to the
fsct that there is less danger of packing or
bskipC Most Of our river or creek bottom
lands are exactly right for it provided they
Ssye natural drainage sufficient to prevent
.cgriuess; that is TO prevent water from
stsnding in the ground within three or
SoTfr feet Of the surface. Like clover and
alfalfa the peanut is a tap-root plant, and
+herefore would be damaged by sloggy
sIb-soiL By far the largest quantity Of
nsanuts produced in Tennessee are grown
mon the second bottoms (above overflow
nj the Tennessee river, lands much like our
bottom lands in Texas, though not near so
good.
r,ral drainage is a soil not inclined to pack
II a purely clay soil is cultivated to the
rrop an abundance of vegetable matter
should be turned into It to keep it friable.
This should be attended to in the fall pre-
cs6ing the spring in which the crop is 10 be
nisnted Turn in vegetable matter-weeds,
grass or anything else of that character
ana let it rot through the winter. The pea
nut needs a fairly good soil for the best re-
cults. but not extremely rich soil like cot
ION or corn. And unlike cotton or corn it
never makes the soil any poorer. Its long
zap root and deep-feeding peculiarities give
Il renoTating characteristics about on par
with those Of either clover or field peas.
Early in the spring break the land
deeply, and pulveriZe thoroughly by the
liberal use of the harrow. Lay on the
rows tire and half feet apart, and soon as
danger from frost is over drop the peas in
fiLls two feet apart in the row, covering to
the depth from two TO three inches. Don't
hull the peas, as some recommend, but drop
pod and all. If hulled they might come up
a little sooner, but not enough sooner to be
worth consideration; besides the young
uIant needs the hull to feed on ere it is
fairly taken to the soil. Put four peas in
each hill, as some will not come up. When
m and established, thin down TO two plants
in the hill In case Of missing hills re-
plant by transplanting from the surplus
the peanut transplants readily if handled in
damp time
Never think Of planting in ridges, and in
ell your after cultivation keep your land as
level as you can. The after culture is ex-
tremely simple, nothing being required
other than to keep down weeds and grass
and to st the surface slightly with har-
row or some other suitable implement,
after a beating rain, to prevent packing
Law by so soon as the plants are running
sufficiently to be in the way of culture. If
the working has left the hill in slight de-
preston it IS best TO go over the field at the
LAYING by and with hoe or rake draw soil
enough around the plants to leave the hill
on a level with the general surface.
You will find people ready to tell you that
the blossom ends of the vine must be COW
cred to give the nut a chance to form under
ss every blossom so covered would be de-
stroyed. Tbs yellow flower springs from
the stems. near the hills, and after having
performed its functions the flower stem
eiongates downwards. Should the flower
be even several inches above the ground, the
elonEation will go on till the ground is
reached and entered. An inch or so be-
meath the surface the small tubercle. which
IS to be the future seed pod, expands to the
proper size and shape for the perfect fruit.
it needs no help from any one. ANY at
tempt at help would ruin it.
The crop runs well through The season,
and hence need not be harvested till late.
The deep tap roots keep the plants green
even through long periods of severe drouth.
When you are ready for harvesting bar OF
the rows with a turn plow. running pretty
well down, and have a hand to follow with
a prouged hoe or potato digger, striking
down at the side of the hill and pulling it
over into one Of the burrows. Another
hand follows, lifting the vines, shaking out
the dirt and throwing them into small
lunches or mows. Some gatherers dis
pcnse with the hoe entirely, merely grasp
ing the vines at each hill and pulling them
up after the plow. This plan necessarily
pulls OF and leaves more peas in the ground
than the other, especially if the surface
happens to be a little Parked. We'd al
ways prefer using the hoe, tjr we think it
Invariably pays well to do sd
The next operation is to hINl in the vines
and scatfold them to dry. Ehe scaffolds
may be arranged in a barn or0ther build
ing, or even a shed, if protectPd at the sides
from dashing rains The Vines may be
piled loosely about two feet thick on the
Bcaffold, and scafolds may be provided one
above the other so that building can be
made to hold a large quantity of vines.
When thoroughly dry the peas are picked
by hand and sacked for market This work
is usually performed by women and children
Gow-priced labor or at odd spells. There
is no need of hurry about it, as the peas
will keep as well on the vines as anywhere
else
The vines will prove an excellent hay
that all kinds of stock will much relish.
The leaves being thick will not crumble of
like leaves of the field pea-they will handle
without crumbling about as well as do the
leaves of red clover.
II would be impossible to harvest peanuts
so closely as to leave none in the ground,
but hogs will come in all right for the leav-
what they get will do them about as much
good, bushel for bushel, as would 50 much
corn.
There are several varieties of the peanut,
but we would not know what variety TO
as best to plant unless we knew
exactly what market the product was to be
placed upon. Some varieties are most popu-
lar on some markets and others were popu-
lar in other markets. Any large-growing
variety will sell we'll As rule the whittier
the variety the better the nuts take, though
there are some markets which prefer a
large reddish variety known as Carolina
reds. If we were planting peanuts eZ-
pressly for hog pasturage we would plant
a small variety called the Spanish peanut. 1t
is harder and more prolific than any other
variety. but the nuts are too small for ad-
sale on any market.
Chicago Boodlors.