The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-01-14
PEANUTS OF VIRGINIA.
Great Crop OF Underwater Counties
OF Old Domlnion--Hablfa
Of the GOuber.


The peanut counties of Virginia are
the tldewater ones Of sury, 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
SoutherH Workman. In Smithheld, Isle
of Wight county--an historic little town,
remote from the raiIway--is to be found
the largest peanut factory in existence
owned by one company. and the head Of
the firm, Mr. p. ID. Gwaltney. is known
- the peanut king Of the world The
yearly output Of this establishment
averages 100000 bags OF peanuts, valued
al si,5O0.000. They are shipped by boat
TO Norfolk, which le the largest market
for this product IN the United States.
1his country furnishes about 100 000,-
900 pounds Of peanuts yearly, which Is
one-sixth Of the entire crop Of the world.
Small quantities Of peanuts are raised IN
a number Of other counties In Virginia.
and The industry has attained consider
able importance IN North and South Car
'oina 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 Il
very soon spread 10 Africa. China, ia
pan and India. and was recognized as
valuable agricultural product In these
countries long before Il was cultivated
on large scale IN i,s native soil. which
was not until the year 1870. IN the old
world. however. II has always been
planted and harvested for the sake Of
the oil that Il yields; this is said 70 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"
II 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 ls formed at the end Of
a long tube having the ovary al It's base.
After the flower has fallen It's stalk
elongates and bends downward. push.
ing its way several inches into the
ground. Here the ovary enlarges and de-
yelops into the well-known pod. The
pod and nut OF the Virginia variety are
twice as large as those Of the North Car
ollna or African peanut. The Spanish
nuts. usually sold only after being
shelled and salted. are still smaller but
~ Traes
varieties called the white and the red.
the kernels Of the latter having a dark
red skin.
smiihheld and the country surround
inc II may be regarded as typical of the
peanut section Here many farms Of from
50 70 zoe acres are given up 70 peanut
culture AZ the American trade de-
fnands a brlght-eolored she'll and the
pod takes on the color Of tho ground in
which Il grows the soil necessary for
the most marketable nuts is a light,
sandly loan Lime Is an essential IN
gredleHt and when lacking Is often sup
piled by applying burned oyster shells.
The soil must be kept light and friahie
or the ovary cannot bury Itself and de-
velop Into a pod. On the Smifhfeld
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 10 three feet
apart. the plants IN the rows having an
average distance Of i2 10 Is Inches. To
'sure large yield thorough cultivation
V necessary. and BY the last Of July the
nelds are covered with delicate green
leaves and yellow blossoms
Thepods mature by the middle Of Octo-
ber when the harvesting season begins.
and continues for about a month. Frost
Is fatal to both vines ant nuts. which
must therefore be out Of the ground be-
fore there Is danger from this source.