The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-12-17
PEANUTS OF VIRGINIA
Great Crop Of Underwater Counties
OF ola DOminiOn-Habitn
OF the GOOber.


The peanut counties Of Virginia are
the tidewater ones Of surry, Isle OF
wight Nansemond and Southampton;
and these four counties probably pro-
luce more peanuts than any other area
Of equal size in the world, says the
southern Workman. In Smithheld, Isle
Of Wight county-an historic little town,
remote from the rail US 70 be found
the largest peanut factory In existence
owned by one company, and the head OF
the firm, Mr. p. d. Gwaltney is known
as the peanut king Of the world. Tne
yearly output of this establishment
averages 350, 900 bags Of peanuts, valued
at 81 $780, 900 They are shipped by boat
to Norfolk. which is the largest market
for this product in the United States
This country furnishes about 100000
600 pounds Of peanuts yearly which Is
one-sixth of the entire crop OF the world.
Small quantities Of peanuts are raised in
number of other counties In Virginia,
and the industry has attained consider
able Importance in North and South Car
olina and In east Tennessee.
The home OF the peanut or ground
pea (also often called pindar and GOO
ber) is believed to be Brazil, although It
very soon spread to Africa, China, ia
pan and India, and was recognized as
valuable agricultural product in these
countries long before It was cultivated
on large scale in its native soil, which
was not until the year 1870. In the old
world. however, 1t has always been
planted and harvested for the sake Of
the oil that 1t yields; this is said to rival
olive oil in quality and to be used for
the same purposes The nuts raised In
the east are far richer in oil than the
American varieties.
The most popular Of the American peo-
nuts is the Virginia running variety"
It is a leguminous plant having leaves
resembling those of the alfalfa, but
borne on wide spreading branches which
grow fiat on the ground. The blossom is
bright yellow and is formed at the end Of
long tube having the ovary at its base.
After the flower has fallen its stalk
elongates and bends downward, push
ing its way several inches into the
ground. Here the ovary enlarges and de-
velops into the well-known pod. The
pod and nut of the Virginia variety are
twice as large as those Of the North Car
olina or African peanut The Spanish
nuts, usually sold only after being
shelled and salted are still smaller, but
Of excellent flavor. Tennessee has two
varieties called the white and the red,
l.the kernels Of the latter having dark
| red skin.
Smithfield and the country surround
ing 1t may be regarded as typical of the
peanut section. Here many farms OF from
50 to 100 acres are given up to peanut
culture. AS the American trade de-
mands a bright-colored shell and the
pod takes on the color of the ground in
which 1t grows the soil necessary for
the most marketable nuts is light,
,andly loan. Lime is an essential In
| gredient and when lacking is often sup
piled by applying burned oyster shells.
The soil must be Kept light and friable
or the ovary cannot bury itself and de-
! velop into pod. On the SmlthDelu
farms and others in eastern Virginia the
seed is put into the ground early in May,
the kernels being planted with the skins
on: two bushels of nuts in the pod are
required to SOW one acre. The Virginia
running variety is usually planted in
rows from two and a half to three feet
apart, the plants in the rows having an
average distance Of - to Is inches. To
insure a large yield thorough cultivation
! Is necessary; and by the last of July the
fields are covered with delicate green
leaves and yellow blossoms.
Thepods mature byths middle Of Octo-
Der, when the harvesting season begins
and continues for about a month. Frost
is fatal to both vines and nuts, which
must therefore be out of the ground be-
fore there is danger from this source.
xrynrM CTAu URHTC TAD