462 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



the nut; and the still further fact of increased facility afforded in harvesting, as will appear 

 when we come to treat of that branch of the subject. From the 10th to the 20th of May is 

 the time for planting. If the land is thin and needs manuring, open the furrows three feet 

 apart and strew in a hundred to a hundred and twenty-five pounds of Peruvian guano, or 

 from a hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds of superphosphate of lime. The former is 

 generally used because of the greater certainty of getting a pure article, but nothing can be 

 better than the latter when well prepared. 



The furrow is then to be ridged over, and the whole surface thrown into three-feet beds, 

 which should be reduced to within two or three inches of the general level of the field. Then 

 mark off the rows, and at distances of eighteen inches plant two seeds, covering them from 

 an inch to an inch and a half deep not more. 



A matter of primary importance is to provide seeds of a good^quality for planting, and, 

 in order to be assured of their excellence, the planter should either raise them himself, or 

 buy them of a person on whose fidelity he can rely. If, after the vines are dry and are lying 

 in the field, they should be exposed to frosty weather, the germinating principle would be 

 destroyed or impaired. As a merchantable article, however, their value is not affected. 

 Neither should the nuts become the least heated or mouldy, nor should they be picked off the 

 vines while wet, or before they are thoroughly cured. It is obvious, therefore, that the most 

 careful attention is requisite in this matter. Previous to planting, the pods should be care 

 fully shelled, and every faulty bean thrown out; not even the membrane enclosing the seed 

 should be ruptured. It takes about two bushels of peanuts in the pod to plant an acre. 



In ten days or two weeks, according to the weather, the young plants begin to come up. 

 As it is very important to get a good start, the missing hills should be re-planted at the 

 earliest moment. It is the custom of some planters to put an extra quantity of seed in every 

 fourth or fifth row, to furnish plants for transplanting, if needed ; if not needed, they can be 

 thinned out. As soon as the grass makes its appearance, give a light plowing, throwing the 

 earth from the vines, and following with the hoe, thoroughly removing all the grass and 

 weeds from the row. Plow again as soon as the grass reappears, this time using a double 

 shovel or cultivator, a^nd the hoe as before directed. 



If the season should prove to be very wet, a third working may be necessary, making 

 use of the cultivator and hoe again. Next comes the time for laying by, the vines having 

 by this time extended nearly half way across the space between the rows. This is done by run 

 ning a mould-board once in the middle between the rows and drawing the earth up to the 

 rows with a hoe, care being taken not to cover the vines and to disturb their position as little 

 as possible, as the fruit will now be forming. It will be necessary, also, to guard against 

 making the bed too high. &quot;When there is grass in the row, it must be pulled up by hand. 

 Soon after this the vines will cover the whole ground and repress every other growth, unless 

 it may be a chance weed that escaped notice at the former working. 



In some sections it is customary, as soon as the vines show blossoms, to cover them with 

 about an inch of soil taken from between the rows, this covering to extend over the entire 

 plant, except the tips of the runners, which are left peeping out of the ground. It is, how 

 ever, more common to leave them uncovered, according to the method previously recom 

 mended. 



Harvesting Peanuts. The time for harvesting the crop is from the 15th to the 

 30th of October, immediately after the first frost. When the crop is forward, or when it is 

 an object to get a portion of it early in market, the operation may be commenced in the latter 

 part of September, but the longer the vines continue to grow, the greater will be the number 

 of sound pods. Select a time when the weather is settled and favorable, and with three- 

 pronged hoes loosen the vines along the rows. Hands follow the digger, pull up the vines, 

 shake the dirt from them, and leave them in the same place. In dry weather they will be 

 sufficiently cured in two days to be shocked. 



