The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-01-20
STANDARDIZING
THE PEANUT CROP
SOME THINGS WORTH KNOWING
ABOUT IMPORTANT SOUTH
GEORGIA PRODUCT.

Five to seven weeks is none too
long for the peanuts to remain IN
the stack before being picked from
the vines. If picked sooner the pods
will not be fully dry, there will be
danger of their moulding in the bags
and furthermore the nuts go on draw
ing from the vines for a consider
able period after they are dug and
stacked and fill out to better adj
vantage than when picked from the
vines too soon. The hay will not be
damaged to any extent in the stacks
for at least six weeks. Peanuts
should be picked only during dry,
crisp weather and never during the
foggy damp weather. The old method
of picking by hand has been super
seeded by the use of machinery; in
fact it would not be economical at
the present prices of labor to pick
by hand. Great care must be taken,
however, in picking to see that the
machine does not break or injure the
pods. Moderate speed and slow feed
ing are absolutely essential in order
to produce high grade product for
the market. If the machine is not
doing good work either adjust it
properly OF, if it cannot be adjusted,
discard it and get one that will do
the work as it should be done. The
statement is frequently made that the
oil mills do net 6bjeet to bat in faeT
prefer to get peanuts that are badly
broken and a great many of them
shelled in the threshing. This state
mont has been made on the part of
those having machines that greatly
damage the peanuts and not by the
oil mill operators. In fact the shell
ing or breaking Of the peas is a great
objection from the standpoint OF the
oil mill, as the average oil mill crush
es cotton seed until late in the winter,
reserving peanuts until the spring
time or early summer. Whenever
stored in the bulk or into the warm
weather of the spring time the shell
ed and broken peanuts become ran
cid. rendering them unfit for the pro-
duction of first class peanut oil. The
same applies to peanuts intended for
shelling and for confectionery pur-
poses. The shelled peas become ran
cid and those that are split or broken
not only become rancid but are coat
ed with dirt as well. There can be
no justification for any claim that
peanuts shelled and broken in the
threshing are as good as those that
are not damaged and the difference
lies in the type and operation of the
machinery used in removing them
from the vines.
In the state of Alabama there are
yery large quantities of Spanish pea
nuts grown, standard market grades
have been adopted 1t is highly desir-
able that these similar grades be
adopted by every Southern state in
which peanuts are being grown Tor
the market. When the peanut she'll
er or oil mill desires to buy peanuts
in any given territory and can do so
on established grades their cost OF
buying will be greatly reduced as
compared with the present method OF
inspecting every load at the car door.
There is no reason why the grades of
peanuts should not be as thoroughly
standardized as those of cotton, corn,
or wheat. and the peanut industry OF
the South will not be properly sta
bilized until such grades are adopted
and followed.
While the possibilities of the pea
nut as a money crop in the boil Wee
vii infested section of the South have
been greatly over-estimated, it is be-
vond a doubt one of the most valu-
able crops for the southern farmer
Specialization in the production OF
peanuts on a large scale on any one
farm is to be discouraged. On the
other hand, the planting of peanuts
in the proper crop ration, suited to
size and type of farm, is to be en-
couraged If given the proper place
in the farm system the peanut Will
prove one of the most profitable crops
for the southern farmer.
In common with most other farm
products the price of peanuts is rela'
lively high at present and there Is
every reason to believe that with the
constantly increasing demand anc
uses of peanuts a steady market
will continue. 1t is sure prediction
that. regardless of market conditions
the first demand will be for high
class standard grade peanuts and the
grower who does not produce goot
article will not find so ready a mark
ct. The peanut will continue in ia
vor as feed and forage croI
throughout the South, and a gooc
bunch of hogs offer about as ready
market as could be desired, despite
the fact that peanut-fed pork is sole
at a slight discount.-Fort Gaines
Georgian.