626 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



ing purposes. Where the peanuts are picked from the vines by hand 

 the stems become broken and the greater portion of the leaves is lost, 

 but where machines are used for picking it is possible to save the straw 

 in fairly good shape. If the vines are carefully handled during the 

 curing process and then put in barns or stacks that keep out rain, the 

 straw when delivered from the thrasher will have a feeding value 

 about equal to clover hay. If the vines are bright and clean after the 

 pods have been removed they can either be sold or fed to farm ani- 

 mals, and they will in this way partially pay for the cost of planting 

 and cultivating the crop. Some growers employ a baling press and 

 bale the straw as it comes from the thrasher in order that it may be 

 more easily stored and also be available for marketing. 



Varieties of Peanuts. There are not more than five or six dis- 

 tinct varieties of the peanut grown in the United States, but these few 

 varieties represent at least three separate types. By classifying the 

 varieties of peanuts according to types we have first the large-podded, 

 or Jumbo, peas and the small-podded peas. These types are sub- 

 divided into bunch and running peas. Those varieties having a 

 bunch habit of growth are most generally grown, owing to the fact 

 that they may be planted closer together than the runner varieties. 

 The bunch varieties are also more easily cultivated and harvested 

 than the runner varieties. The following descriptions of the more 

 common varieties of the peanut may be of interest to those not already 

 familiar with them : 



Virginia Bunch. Large-podded variety, plant rather dwarf, 

 stems upright, foliage rather light ; pods clustered about the base of 

 plant; usually two, sometimes three, seeds in a pod, pod bright and 

 clean, color of peas light brown ; pods adhere well to plant in digging. 

 The customary weight per bushel of this variety is 22 pounds. 



Virginia Runner. Large-podded variety, strong grower, stems 

 creeping, foliage heavy ; pods scattered along procumbent stems ; pods 

 and peas very similar to those of the Virginia Bunch ; pods do not 

 adhere well in digging. The customary weight per bushel of this 

 variety is 22 pounds. 



Spanish. Small-podded variety, strong grower, stems upright, 

 foliage abundant and heavy; pods clustered about base of plant; 

 usually two seeds in a pod, entirely filling the pod ; color of peas light 

 brown ; pods adhere well to plant in digging. This variety frequently 

 yields 60 bushels of marketable peas and a ton of hay to the acre. 

 The peas of this variety are rich in oil content. The weight per 

 bushel of Spanish peanuts is 30 pounds. 



Tennessee Red. Small-podded variety; similar to Spanish, ex- 

 cept that the pods are longer, sometimes containing five or six peas 

 crowded together ; peas dull red in color. This variety is well adapted 

 to stock feeding, but does not sell upon the market owing to the color 

 and quality of the peas. 



Valencia. A very promising new variety introduced from 

 Spain. Similar in many respects to the Tennessee Red, but of much 

 better quality. A desirable sort for the manufacture of peanut butter, 



