22 



Table VIII. Residual Fertilizing Effect of Peanuts 

 Compared With Corn. (*) 



The peanut plots gave a yield of rye higher than that 

 of the non-legume plot in two instances; where the 

 peanuts were grazed and the plot got the benefit of the 

 droppings from animals, and where the luxuriant 

 growth of vines were turned under on account of the 

 running peanuts failing to make. 



Two of the peanut plots yielded less sorghum hay 

 than did the corn plot, and onlj^ on the plot on which 

 the vines were turned under did the yield of this second 

 succeeding crop prove greater than that following corn. 



The conclusion is that a crop of peanuts harvested in 

 the usual way for seed does not improve the soil for a 

 succeeding crop. 



Inoculation of Peanuts. 



The peanut is a legume, roots of which should be 

 abundantly supplied with tubercles to make sure that 

 it makes use of the nitrogen of the air rather than that 

 of the soil. So far as the observations of the writers go, 

 the peanut plant on Southern soils is naturally stocked 

 with tubercles. Hence artificial inoculation, either with 

 soil or with pure cultures, seems to be a useless expense. 



Probably the usual occurence of tubercles on the 

 roots of the peanut plant results from natural inocula- 

 tion carried on the seed in the dust from the old field. 

 This dust from the hulls comes in contact with the 

 shelled nuts in any process of shelling, and is of course 

 still more abundant if unshelled nuts are planted. 



Experiments made on sandy land on the farm of the 

 Alabama Experiment Station, at Auburn, showed no 

 increase in yield from inoculating peanuts with appro- 

 priate soil, and no apparent increase in the number 

 of tubercles per plant. 



(*) Bui. 104, Alabama Experiment Station. 



