466 



SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



444. Composition. The following table shows that 

 all parts of the peanut plant are rich in nutritive qualities : 



A crop of 60 bushels of peanuts per acre, together with one 

 ton of hay, has been found to contain approximately 85 pounds 

 of nitrogen, 15 pounds of phosphoric acid, 32 pounds of potash, 

 and 46 pounds of lime. Most of the lime and potash is con- 

 tained in the hay, while the greater part of the phosphoric acid 

 and more than half of the nitrogen are found in the nuts. 



445. Soils. A sandy or sandy loam soil is preferred. 

 Nuts of the highest market quality, that is, with the 

 brightest shells, are produced on light-colored, sandy soil. 

 Red or dark soils, especially when containing much clay, 

 stain the hulls, and hence reduce the market price. Such 

 soils, however, are fully as good for peanuts that are to 

 be consumed on the farm. While a stiff soil is usually 

 avoided for peanuts, partly because of the staining of the 

 shells and partly because peanuts cannot be grazed by live- 

 stock on such soils while wet, yet these heavier soils some- 

 times make larger yields of nuts than do very sandy fields. 



In the choice of soils for peanuts it must be constantly 

 remembered that a loose, friable condition of the surface 

 layer is necessary in order that the " pegs," from which 

 the pods will develop, may easily enter the soil. 



