Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-05-20

from the center to the horizon. 1t
is rich with promise. 1t is ready
for the harvest. only awaiting the
skillful touch of the carefully train
ed and accomplished cleaner. To
such it will yield an unlimited incre-
ment, and to the state and nation a
blessing quite beyond the compre-
hension of the generation
THIS LAND NEEDS LIME FOR
j. e. p, Hazlehurst, Ca, writes: l
have purchased a farm in south Georgia
and am told i twill mot grow peanuts.
1t makes an abundant vine full of nuts,
but there is not a sound one on the
vine. 1 am interested In raising pea
nuts for my hogs. Please tell me what
is the trouble. have small place IN
tested with nut grass. How can 1 de-
stroy it?
Most of our Georgia soils, as you
doubtless know, are deficient in lime.
In many instances this is notably
true. The peanut is legume and
belongs to a family of plants that
require considerable amount OF cal
cium in order to produce profitable
crops. We are quite certain that
the land you mention in your letter
is practically devoid of lime, at least
in a form which makes the calcium
it contains serviceable to growing
crops. We believe you can make
this land produce satisfactory crop
this end we would suggest that you
apply at least one ton of finely
ground crushed raw lime rock. = We
would put this on the land immed1-
ately It should first be prepared
for planting, of course, and then the
lime may be hroadcastei over the
surface and narrowed in. If this
does not result in a decided improve
ment in the nature and character or
the crops you grow this year then
we would put another ton on next
year In this connection we wish TO
warn against growing peanuts on the
same land indefinitely, as 1t is better
to rotate this crop.
We would also direct your atten-
ton to the fact that if you wish to
grow peanuts to be graZed down oy
hogs or to be sold for oil production
you would do better to cultivate the
White Spanish than the North Caro-
lima Running variety. Our expert
ments show that the White Spanish
contains about $50 pounds of oil per
ton and 23.5 per cent of hulls. the
North Carolina, on the other hand,
contains but 723 pounds of oil per
ton and 27 per cent of hulls. The
Virginia Running shows 40 pounds
of oil and A per cent of hulls. 1t
has been demonstrated to cur ent1re
satisfaction that the White Spanish
is the best variety to grow in Geor-
gia for the purposes indicated.
In planting peanuts on land such
as YOU have described we would adj
wise you also to use a reasonable ra-
ton of acid phosphate, say 800
pounds per acre put down under the
drill row at the time the nuts are
planted. Under normal conditions
we would advise the use of some
potash. It is now scarce and very
costly so we do not know that it
would pay you to purchase it under
existing circumstances. On the 9TH
er hand we would scatter over this
land any wood ashes which might be
available, applying them at the rate
say of 1000 pounds and upward per
acre. Harrow them into the soil be-
| fore planting, but do not mix with
other fertilizer.
Nut grass is very difficult to erad1-
| cate Our best results in fighting
this grass have been obtained by US
| ing smother crops. For this purpose
| there is probably nothing better than
velvet beans followed in The fall by
oats and vetch or oats and crimson
clover. You can, of course, use rye
| with any companion crop you may
wish to seed. The continual shading
| of the land for three or four years
| has enabled Us to destroy some
stands of nut grass on limited areas
| of the College farm. We, therefore,
! feel that we can recommend this
method of fighting it to your atten-
ton with the certainty that you will
| obain satisfactory results by the
| nerSistent Use of shading crops