1 82 FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURE. 



house should be built for storing the crop. A conve- 

 nient structure may be built the desired size, with dou- 

 ble walls which are filled in with sawdust. This house 

 should be provided with ventilators that may be 

 opened and closed according to weather conditions. 



Varieties. The Dooley Yam and the Sugar Yam 

 are popular varieties for Southern table use. These 

 potatoes are soft and sweet when cooked. The 

 Northern market demands a firm, mealy potato. The 

 Southern Queen and similar varieties are desirable 

 for stock. 



2. Peanuts. A light sandy loam soil, well drained, 

 with an abundance of lime, is best adapted for growing 

 peanuts commercially. 



A Rotation Crop. When grown in a well-planned 

 rotation and following a crop where clean culture has 

 been practiced, the peanut becomes an important and 

 profitable crop. The peanut should be placed in ro- 

 tation so as to occupy the land between a spring ma- 

 turing crop and one that is to be planted early in the 

 fall. This crop is well adapted to a system in which 

 intensive farming is practiced. 



Preparation of the Land. The land should be well 

 prepared. On poorly drained land the rows should 

 be slightly ridged to keep the plant above water. If 

 fertilizer is necessary a mixture containing phosphoric 

 acid and potash is desirable. The peanut being a le- 

 gume obtains all the nitrogen it needs from the air. 



How to Plant. Peanuts germinate earlier and bet- 

 ter if shelled before planting. The inferior kernels 

 can be discarded when the nuts are shelled, thus insur- 

 ing a better stand. If the whole nuts are planted, 

 germination is hastened by soaking them in water for 

 twenty-four hours before planting. The quantity of 

 seed required to plant an acre will depend somewhat 

 upon the variety, distance of rows and the distance 

 the nuts are dropped in the drill. Usually y 2 to I 

 bushel of shelled and 2 bushels of unshelled nuts are 

 planted per acre. 



