The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-16

PEANUT CULTURE.


The peanut crop is yearly becoming
OF greater Importance to the Southern
farmer. It is crop that is peculiarly
suited to the warm climates, and being
short season crop, it need not be
planted until the soil is thoroughly
warmed up, about the middle of May,
or even early June is time enough to
plant. have known very good crop
made, planted as late as the first week
in July. Another point in it's favor is
that it can be planted after the rush
OF spring planting is over and the most
OF the other farm crops are laid by. A
good plan is to follow the oat or wheat
crop with peanuts Immediately after
these are harvested. Oat and wheat
stub6le ploWed under seems to have
something in it's get up favorable
for the peanut crop, and I have never
seen poor crop of peanuts where it fol
lowed these small grain crops, provid
ing the land was properly prepared
and the correct fertilizers used.
A sandy soil with some lime in its
get up is specially advisable to secure
good crop. The land must be thor
oughly plowed and broken up, to let in
warm air and sunshine, and put in as
friable a condition as possible. II
should be smoothed we'll over with
harrow, and at the last narrowing or
working about 800 pounds per acre
Of a good fertilizer broadcasted and
worked into the soil. This fertilizer
should be of a very good grade, ana
Lying about eight per cent. Of phos-
phor,c acid, and eight per cent. of
potash. Some farmers prefer to drill
in the fertilizer at planting time, but
this is not to be recommended as the
skin Of the peanut is 80 thin and deli
cate, that strong fertilizer in the drill
next to it, would be apt to impair it's
terminating powers, so that to get
best results and get good stand, the
fertilizer should be applied in the man
ner already indicated and three or
When ready to plant lay off the land
in burrows about thirty inches each
way, checking it, go as to be easy of
cultivation when the time comes for
subduing the grass and weeds that are
sure to come. In each check couple
Of seeds should be dropped and covered
couple of inches deep with the foot,
and pressed down. Then in few days
the whole ground should be again har
rowed and smoothed off obliterating
these furrow marks.
In about ten days from planting
time, they should be showing above
ground, and being at time of the
year when weeds and grass are likely
to be troublesome, the cultivator and
sweep must be kept busy to keep down
weeds and pulverize the soil, for weeds
grass, and peanuts don't grow we'll to
gether.
If the ground has been put in good
condition, previous to planting, the
crop will not re quire much cultiva zion
during the growing period, and when
ever the blossoms begin falling, all cul-
tivation should cease, and the last
should be of a nature to throw as much
soil on the vine as possible, thus assist
ing nature in burying joints on which
pods form.
Whenever the vines begin to take on
a yellowish tint, the nuts are full
grown and are beginning to ripen. II
the crop is intended to be saved and
houses or stacked, it should then be
dug up and thrown in WindroWs for q
few days to get dry enough to shake
all the sand off, then hauled to the
barn and thrown over racks to cure
thoroughly. If intended for hog feed,
the pigs can be turned in and allowed
to do their own harvesting. Take it
all in all a crop Of peanuts is to be
specially recommended, as it is very
profitable one. Fifty bushels per acre
is a very ordinary yield, and when we
consider it's fattening properties and
the love all stock has for it as food, we
should make it a point to grow as
large an acreage OF it as we possibly
can. @. K, NJ QUARRIE.
PLANT PUMPKINS.