Sharp County record., 1919-05-16
PEANUTS VALUAB|l|
On UPLAND s|N|
One Of Best Crops TO sub..,,0,. !.
Corn Or Cotton-May q. ~
vested as Cash Crop.
BY L. W. Osborn. Arkansas D.,,.
rnent Station. ~

~ 49, w. AL hduSAe h,
ment Station. @
The peanut is one Of IN.
crops to substitute for corn Or ,,s'
On upland soils. II may b h,s'' IVY
ed as a cash crop, or II thu nr,
low It can always be pasts,..
hogs and a profit assured. Tbs,.
every reason why the acreage ~
crop should be increased. In n.
place, there Is a distinct need !.
leguminous soil Improvement
crop in our cropping system ANA n
peanut may be used for this pur,.
In the second place, the peanut
is more certain Of production on I
lands than corn. and in drouthv y
sons will DO far better. This n a.
cially the case on coastal pla,,
land soils Of central and south h.
ansas, where corn production n \
ways more or less uncertain. NT
same time, the net return of an NJ
of peanuts when properly handa
greater than that of an acre Of nm
That the advantages Of the ps,,,
are known by Alabama farmers "A \
dicated by the increase in serx,|
from 100000 acres in 1916 to 7.as
acres in 1918, Texas farmers NH
276,0o0 acres in 1915 and eA7,N9 h
1918. At the same time ArAaml
farmers planted $4,000 acres in luE
and only $1,000 acres in 1918.
Notwithstanding the fact that N
peanut is especially adapted 10 wl.
state, reports indicate that decru
ed acreage is probable for the MI
season. The reason is attributed Y
the prevailing lower price for t
1918 crop.
Success In the peanut business N
pends largely upon the machlns
used in planting, harvesting NJ
threshing the crop. Hand labor 4
too expensive. A good peanut ph,|
er may be obtained cheaply. A IN
ger which will cut the roots Just N
low the nuts, and leave the bulk
the roots in the ground should b N
tanned. Finally, there should Be
thrasher or peanut picker In v
neighborhood. When peanuts 4
being grown for the market very tN
full attention must be given to v
methods Of harvesting so that a v1|
matured, well-dried product will
sold.
For market production peanuts \
specially adapted to sandy loan, Y
loamy soils, but for hog grazing "a
be grown on heavier soils, provldh
they contain an abundance or orssa
matter and do not crust easily
The best general purpose vsue
is the Spanish peanut This vare
natures earliest, yields best and n
duces less pops than the Tenn
see or Virginia varieties.
Plant In rows 30 to 36 inches vi
and space 8 to 10 inches apart 10 ,
row. Plant Spanish peanuts ID
pod and not shelled. Soak tho "
overnight In water. II crows or ns'
cause annoyance, add little q
fashioned pine tar,
Be sure the seed Is we'll milvH
and will germinats, More poor sti'
are caused by poor seed than y
other cause.
The seed-bed for peanuts should
! we'll prepared and the crop should
ceive careful cultivation until bl@
Ing begins,
The time Of harvesting Is imp
ant, There Ia a tendency, on me y
Of some growers to cut the hay
early and sacrifice the quality Of
nuts When tops are cut for hay
time Of cutting should be delayed
I'll some Of the leaves are turn
yellow. Very careful attention n'
be given to drying the nuts IN "
tered racks, when tops are ren'''
since under these conditions II
practicable to stack the nuts c'
the open,