The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1919-05-15
PEANUTS VALUABLE
ON UPLAND SOILS
One Of Best Crops To Substitute For
Corn or cotton-May Be Har-
vested as Cash Crop.
BY l.. W. Osborn, Arkansas Expert
ment Station.

By l.. w. Osborn, Arkansas Expert
ment Station.
The peanut is one OF the best
crops to substitute for corn or cotton
on upland soils. II may be harvest
ed as cash crop, or IL the price Ia
low 1t can always be pastured by
hogs and a profit assured. There is
every reason why the acreage Of this
crop should be increased. In the first
place, there Is distinct need TO- a
leguminous soil improvement cash
crop in our cropping system and the
peanut may be used for this purpose
In the second place, the peanut crop
Is more certain Of production on up
lands than corn. and in drouthy sea-
sons will do far better. This Is espe-
cially the case ON coastal plain up
land soils of central and south Ark
ansas, where corn production Is al
ways more or less uncertain. At the
same time, the net return of an acre
OF peanuts when properly handled, is
greater than that of an acre Of corn.
That the advantages of the peanut
are known by Alabama farmers Is in
dicated by the increase In acreage
from 100000 acres in 1915 to $4,000
acres in 1918 Texas farmers grew
$4,000 acres in 1916 and $4,000
1918. At the same time Arkansas
farmers planted $4,000 acres in 1916,
and only $1,000 acres in 1918
Notwithstanding the fact that the
peanut is especially adapted to this
state, reports indicate that decreas-
ed acreage is probable for the 1919
season. The reason is attributed 70
the prevailing lower price for the
1918 crop.
Success In the peanut business de-
ponds largely upon the machinery
used in planting. harvesting ami
threshing the crop. Hand labor is
too expensive. A good peanut plant
er may be obtained cheaply. A dig
ger which will cut the roots just be-
low the nuts, and leave the bulk of
the roots in the ground should be OBJ
tanned. Finally, there should be a
thrasher or peanut picker in the
neighborhood When peanuts are
being grown for the market very care
full attention must be given to the
methods of harvesting SO that we'll
matured. well-dried product will be
sold
For market production peanuts are
specially adapted to sandy loan, and
loamy soils. but for hog grazing may
be grown ON heavier soils. providing
they contain an abundance or organic
matter and do not crust easily.
The best general purpose variety
Is the Spanish peanut This variety
natures earliest yields best and pro-
duces less pops" than the Tennes'
see or Virginia varieties.
Plant In rows 80 to SO inches wide
and space to 10 inches apart in the
row. Plant Spanish peanuts in the
pod and not shelled Soak the pods
overnight in water II crows or moles
cause annoyance. add little Old
fashioned pine tar.
Be sure the seed Is we'll matured
and will terminate. More poor stands
other cause.
The seed-bed for peanuts should be
well prepared and the crop should re-
ceive careful cultivation until bloom
ing begins.
The time OF harvesting is import
ant There is a tendency, on the part
of some growers TO cut the hay 100
early and sacrifice the quality OF the
nuts When tops are cut for hay, the
time of cutting should be delayed TN
til some OF the leaves are turning
yellow. Very careful attention must
be given to drying the nuts in shell
tered racks. when tops are removed,
since under these conditions 1t is not
practicable to stack the nuts out in
the open.