The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-04-21
BY HARVEY JORDAN.

improved more than it is injured, besides
furnishing splendid food pasture.
Of the larger varieties, we have the
Virginia white running, and bunch, the
Tennessee white and red. and the North
Carolina of African, with smaller pods
than the above described. The Tennessee
red natures earlier than the white and
has fewer pops or imperfect pods. The
Georgia red nut IS also similar to the
Tennessee, having three nts 20 the pod.
The Spanish variety is small has an
upright vine, forms pods near the top
root and can be planted much closer to-
gether, thereby producing a heavier yield
per acre. The Spanish nuts are used
almost exclusively for hog pasturage
For supplying the market. or venders.
the large white or red varieties should
be cultivated, but for pasturage the small
Spanish nut is decidedly more preferable
and profitable.
SOIL AND FERTILIZERS.
A light sandy loan well drained will
produce the best nuts for the market, be
cause the trade generally demands a light
colored shell which the gray soil i'm
parts. However, almost any soil will
make good peanuts provided it contains
sufficient quantity of lime. More BUSH
els per acre can be produced on heavy
clay soils than upon light soils, but the
nuts are not SO desirable If the soil
upon which heavy crops Of peanuts are
to be grown is not already rich in lime,
then lime in some form musy be applied,
not only for the development of the plant.
but for it's mechanical effect upon the
soil Lime may be applied in the shape
of marl plaster, wood ashes, or burnt
or quick lime. About 80 bushels of quick
lime per acre is about the proper pro-
portion of $50 bushels of mari.
In addition to lime the peanut crop
also requires acid and potash. The plant
obtains considerable nitrogen from the
air, hence that element need not be
heavily applied in the fertilizing. good
mixture for peanuts will be found in the
| following proportions:
! Acid phosphate 80 pounds.
Cotton seed meal, 800 pounds.
Kainit, 240 pounds.
This may be applied to one acre, or
reduced somewhat according to the ma
| tural fertility of the soil.
| Peanuts should not be planted for sue
| essive years on the same land. If they
are the fertility of the soil is apt to de-
| teriorate and the plants will, after a
year or two, begin to lose their leaves
before maturity, thus losing their value
| for hay or forage.
PLANTING AND CULTURE.
| The land intended for a marketable
oughly plowed, narrowed and placed in
first class tillable order. 1t requires
about two bushels OF nuts in the pod to
! secure seed enough to plant an acre. The
seed should be carefully shelled out and
avoid breaking the skin Of the kernel
In the South Atlantic and Gulf States
planting should be done during the month
of April, although this may be delayed
a month 1t usually requires about five
months from time of planting to full ma
turity of seed, and harvesting should be
done before frost Peanuts generally are
planted in drills, the most popular plan
being in rows three feet apart, and the
seed fifteen inches in the drill. Droy tive
seed at each hill, and cover with two
inches of soil either with hoe or small
I ploW. After the plants germinate. cul-
tivate with the hoe and rlow should be
ample to keep the top surface of the sci
we'll mulched and the weeds and grass
down Level culture is better than ridge
---.----------------.-----..--