BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 319 



partment "of Agriculture. This experiment so thoroughly demon 

 strated the possibility of growing peanuts for the market in Louisi- 

 ana and the adjacent States that contrary to the original intention 

 the greater part of the crop harvested was sold for seed purposes 

 rather than for oil making. During the season of 1910 the area in- 

 creased to between 18,000 and 20,000 acres. The success of last year 

 has led to the planting of approximately 300,000 acres for the sea- 

 son of 1911. At least 150 cars of the 1910 crop were sold for seed 

 purposes, and the industry has been extended to other sections in 

 eastern Texas, southern Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. In 

 some sections peanuts are being planted on a large scale for feeding 

 to farm animals, especially for fattening hogs. 



In order to meet the demand for information and practical demon- 

 strations of the methods employed in growing peanuts, more than 

 40 farmers' meetings were held during the winter of 1911 at various 

 points within the boll-weevil region. These meetings were con- 

 ducted by Mr. W. R. Beattie, of the Office of Horticulture, working 

 in cooperation with State and local agents of the Farmers' Coopera- 

 tive Demonstration Work. It is estimated that during these meet- 

 ings fully 4,000 farmers received instruction. In addition to the 

 lectures, practical demonstrations were made and about 3,000 bulle- 

 tins on peanut culture were placed dire^^tly in the hands of inter- 

 ested growers. 



Wherever the peanut has been introduced as a part of the crop 

 system on plantations in the Gulf Coast States it has proved a valu- 

 able addition, especially as a feed for the animals upon the farm, for 

 which purpose it takes the place of both grain and forage. Experi- 

 ments have shown that by planting the peanuts rather closely it is 

 possible to cut a ton of hay and afterwards produce 850 pounds of 

 pork to the acre upon the peanuts. Peanut hay from which the 

 marketable nuts have all been picked finds ready sale at prices rang- 

 ing from $12 to $20 a ton. Many farmers are now planting large 

 areas to peanuts for hog feeding alone, simply harvesting enough for 

 seed and then turning the hogs into the peanut fields. By this very 

 economical method the soil may be greatly enriched and a satisfactory 

 financial return obtained. 



With the present rapid increase in the acreage planted to peanuts 

 it is probable that the general market will not long consume the prod- 

 uct at prices remunerative to the farmer. The oil mills of the South 

 are preparing to meet this emergency and will be able to crush the 

 surplus peanuts for oil. Peanut oil is rapidly obtaining proper 

 recognition upon the American markets and there will doubtless be a 

 demand for all produced. 



A^Hiile peanut growing is being extended in the Gulf Coast States 

 attention is being given to the industr}^ in the regions where the crop 

 has been extensively grown for the past 50 years. ^ These investiga- 

 tions include various problems relative to crop rotation, seed selection, 

 fertilizers, and methods of handling the crop. One of the most 

 difficult of the problems which confront the farmer is to obtain a 

 machine which will pick the peanuts from the vines without breaking 

 the shells. Many of the machines now in use break a large percent- 

 age of the shells, resulting in damage from weevils and other ware- 

 house insects during the summer months. Another serious difficulty 

 is the depletion of soil fertility which has resulted from constant 



