468 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



mixture of acid phosphate and some form of potash, such 

 as kainit or muriate of potash. A good general fertilizer 

 is at least 200 pounds of acid phosphate and 50 pounds of 

 muriate of potash per acre. 



If the land is extremely poor, there is some advantage in using 

 a small amount of nitrogenous fertilizer, so as to promote the 

 early growth of the plant before it is able to draw its nitrogen 

 from the air. For this purpose about 40 pounds of nitrate of 

 soda per acre may be placed in the furrow at the time of planting, 

 or, better still, applied on one side of each row of plants at the 

 first cultivation. The later application of nitrate has the ad- 

 vantage of not stimulating the growth of weeds and grass as 

 early in the season as would be the case if it were applied at or 

 before planting. 



However, for the greater part of the supply of nitrogen re- 

 liance must be placed on that drawn from the air by the tubercles 

 on the roots of the peanut plant. 



448. Preparation of the land. The first step in pre- 

 paring peanut land is to remove any coarse litter, such as 

 stalks of corn or cotton, which might interfere with ger- 

 mination and cultivation. The land should be plowed 

 and thoroughly harrowed. The time of planting depends 

 on the locality, the soil, and the nature of the preceding 

 crop. Generally it is well to plant peanuts after some 

 hoed crop which has been well cultivated, such as cotton. 

 Some farmers find it advantageous to plow the land at least 

 a month before planting. This gives time for weed seeds 

 to germinate. This crop of young weeds should then be 

 destroyed by the use of the disk harrow or other suitable 

 implement. 



Furrows should be opened at regular intervals and in 

 these the fertilizer drilled, generally by the use of a machine. 



