The advocate., 1897-08-25
Culture of Peanuts.

the growth OF peanuts, anu Inls ls
crop that boys and girls can grow
profitably on small parcels Of ground.
The following instructive article Is
taken from the Texas Farm and Ranch:
"There are several distinct varieties
of the peanut grown in this country,
and several in other countries. The
Virginia running is the most popular,
not because it is really better, more pro-
ductive, more hardy, or more easily
raised and harvested. The pods are
larger and whittier and that makes them
sell The Virginia Bunch is much like
the first mentioned, but grows more
erect and the nuts all cluster around
the tap-rOOt. The Tennessee White
and Tennessee Red are varieties popu-
lar in that State, but in no way better
than the others. The African variety,
largely grown in North Carolina, diff
fers from the others chiefly in the con-
tent of OIL The Spanish variety is
smaller than the others and can be
planted much closer The pods are
small, but completely filed with nuts
of the finest flavor, and there are fewer
'pops' than in any other variety. They
are also very productive. There are
other sub-Varieties grown in this coun-
try, but the above are sufficient for our
purpose, which is to give such infOrma-
tlOn to farmers as will enable them to
plant peanuts and forecast the results.
PEANUT SOIL.
writers on peanuts generally open
the subject with "a good sandy soil,
neither too dry, nor too wet and so
forth. Any land that will make corn
in this latitude will grow peanuts.
And generally the richer the land the
heavier the yield. They grow well on
black waxy, on river bottoms, on sandy
hammOcks, on red oak ridges, and on
almost any soil not subject to over
flows or flooding, provided proper cul-
tivation is given. If the land is def
cient in lime, lime should be added for
best results. Use stable manure, wood
ashes, and if the railroad freights will
permit, the addition of 100 pounds Of
kainit and fifty pounds of acid phOs-
phate and $50 pounds of CottOnseed
meal may be used on each acre.
PREPARATION OF LAND.
"The land should be plowed six or
seven inches deep during the winter,
and then four or five inches before
planting. Or the ground may be bed
ded just as for cotton, beds three feet
from center to center; then before
planting harrow or drag down until
nearly level. If the land is not well
drained the beds should be left q little
higher, but in no case more than three
inches above the general level. The
land should be as free as possible from
roots, stalks, sticks and stones.
THE SEED.
"Seed should be carefully selected
and carefully handled. Two bushels Of
nuts in the pod will be sufficient to
plant an acre. OF the large pOdded
sorts, select those carrying three nuts
and filled out. 1t requires some care
and skill to get the nuts out of the hulls
without breaking the skin. A small
smooth, rectangular stick, eight inches
long and one inch square, rounded at
one end for a hand-hold, made Of not
too heavy wood, is convenient acces-
sorry in hulling the seed. Set the pod
on end, and light tap on the end will
crack the hull from end to end. A
little practice will enable one to hull
them quite rapidly and with safety to
the nut. Those kept for seed should be
well dried in the sun before storing,
and should not be put up in large guam
titles in one sack or barrel.
PLANTING.
''The time to plant corresponds with
cOtton-planting time. After the 10th