Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-15
PEANUTS.
A Southern Product of Considerable Value. Is of Great Value as Hog
 Feed

Prof. B. Irby of the North Carolina Agricultural college writes as follows concerning the peanut:
 The peanut, or ground pea, deserves more recognition as a feed crop than it receives at present. Most people think that it is worth only what it will bring on the market, and as that is very little at present there are not many enthusi- astic growers of this useful crop. The main use made of them is for the pro- duction of oil, then for eating, as they can be bought on every street corner. But there is use that farmers shouia consider and that is for hog food This crop is also a renovator, though not gen orally so considered. If the whole crop is removed, thus suddenly exposing the damp soi. to the sun, 1t will be injured mechanically, in addition to having all the stored-up elements removed from the soil in the crop. In the case of clover, peas, sofa beans and other renovators, great part of the crop Is left in the roots stubble and shattered leaves, but with peanuts the ground is pretty well cleared of all the crop. Then, too, the land IS often damaged by the hogs roofing in 1t in wet weather, thus damaging It ln mechanical way If they were turned on the land only when it was dry enough to blow then it would receiveno material
 
 injury.
 The vines make fine soiling crop, and when cured make a most excellent nay for all kinds of stock, and, l might add, they are very easily cured. TO plant fertilize and cultivate the crop is about the only expense when used for hog feed, as the swine do their own harvesting hence the profit ought to be good. In some districts they are ravaged by crows, but this can be easily prevented Take common cotton strings and stretch around the field, supported by sticks about 4 feet long. Only one strand is necessary. If the field is large run strings across about every 50 yards. The crow is a very suspicious bird, and on seeing the strings he at once imagines that you have trap fixed for him. This plan is far more effective than the scare crow.
 As for fertiiizng, many of the best farmers in the Atlantic states use only lime gotten by burning the oyster shell. would advise liberal supply of lime in some form in addition to the regular fertilizers Much of this Atlantic coast line land is very sandy and is deficient in lime. Gypsum would be a cheap and good form of lime to use, where the shell lime is cheap and good form of lime to use where the shell lime is expensive.
 These lands, when rolling, are usually liable to be injured by drouth, as they are so porous that the water readily teaches out of them and passes away through the subsoil, carrying with it the available food. so the crop suffers not only in a time of drouth from lack of water, but from scarcity of plant food. The land would aid in fixing the fertiliz- ing elements in the soil until they were needed by the plants. The crop should be fertilized about like pea crop, with larger proportion of phosphorus and pot ash.
 The fertilizer can be mixed with good results in the following proportion: Cot ton seed meal, 600 pounds; acid phos- phate, 800 pounds; kainit, 600 pounds.
 Apply in drill just before planting, and endeavor to put the fertilizer about one or two inches below where the seed will be placed. Cultivate with hoe, single horse cultivator, and later with sweep or scrape. slightly elevating the rows If the land is level it will be found very economical to check the rows, as it will save hard work Be sure to keep clear of crab grass.