Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-30


apply. Under most conditions /
would say use 1000 pounds. The
land should be broken, in my opin-
ion, and the lime then scattered over
the surface of the ground and work
ed in with a harrow. Later on the
ground may be laid off according to
the ytpe of cultivation followed and
such additional fertilizer, in the
form of phosphoric acid and potash,
used under the drill row as may be
considered essential. Our experience
indicates that 800 pounds OF acid
phosphate and 100 pounds say IF a
recognized carrier of potash would
not be too much to use.
The peanut, of course, is a native
of tropical America and is an an
nual belonging to the pea family.
The botanical name is Arachis hy-
pogea. A popularity of this plant is
that it natures it's fruit under
ground. The flowers are born in
the axis of the leaves on stems that
turn downward and elongate after
the flowers are fortified. These
pegs" then enter the soil where the
nuts develop. The fruit after all is
a ripened pod containing edible
seeds like the pea or bean.
There are two distinct types of
peanuts, the upright form and the
runner type. There are, of course
large podded and small podded
varieties. The bunch Or upright type
is less difficult to cultivate and dig,
but the runner type will as a rule
make tn largest yield Of the
large podded varieties the Virginia
bunch and Virginia runner are well
known. These are grown primarily
to be sold by street vendors for
edible purposes, or placed on the
market as roasted or sailed peanuts.
The Spanish variety is small podded
and is very extensively grown in
what may be termed the new pea
nut territory. 1t is very valuable
for forage because Of it's heavy
growth Of vines, and the nuts also
rank high for the production of Oil.
Some producers harvesting this crop
sell the best grade Of nuts to oil
mills and reserve the vines and
poorly filled pods for feeding at
home. This variety is hardy, a
fine drouth reister, and very well
adapted for growth in any section
where the crop is to be grazed down
by hogs. Hence it is a favored va
riety in the southeastern states.
Among other varieties which are
grown to some extent is the Valencia.
which is late maturing, and some
what similar to the Spanish variety
in it's habits of growth. 1t is a
more desirable variety to cultivate
for edible purposes than the Spanish
variety. Other varieties which are
not so widely planted are the North
Carolina, a runner type, and the Ten
nesee red, small podded variety
somewhat similar to the Spanish,
with the exception that the nuts are
red in color. It is not as good a sell
err on the market as the Spanish va
riety.
One undertaking the cultivation of
peanuts should secure good seed. To
this end they should be selected from
vigorous, we'll matured plants which
make relatively large yields. The
proper curing and storing through
the winter so as to preserve the via
bility of the seed is an important
matter. Securing an even stand with
this crop is just s important as
with corn or cotton. Undoubtedly
the peanut can be selected so as to
improve it's yield and quality, as
well as for other purposes.
AS a rule the large podded va
rieties are hulled before planting, but
the small podded varieties are plant
ed in the pod. Tt is a good practice
to soak the unshelled nuts from 10
to "a hours before planting, as this
hastens termination. Shelled seed
should not be soaked before planting.
1t will take about two bushels of
unhulled seed to plant an acre,
whereas one-half bushel of the hull
ed nuts will be sufficient for the
same purpose. Hand hulling is. of
course, a very slow business, and
small hullers are now manufactured
for preparing the seed for planting.
Mice and gophers may be kept
away where they are bad by treat
ing the unshelled seed with an emul-
sion Of soap and water mixed with
kerosene. OF course, the hulled seed
cannot be treated in this manner.
The land should be plowed for this
crop. Fall blowing is preferable.
but if this has not been done turn
the land in the spring as early as