202 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



sary to watch the crop and harvest it before the earlier 

 ripened nuts begin to sprout. 



For removing the vines a plow with a long sweep is 

 used. This shear or blade passes along on each side 

 of the row under the nuts and cuts off all roots that 

 pass into the ground. This implement may be likened 

 to a stirring plow with the mould board removed. 

 The depth that this shear works in the earth is regu- 

 lated so as to be as shallow as possible and yet not cut 

 any of the nuts. 



Laborers follow the plow and raise the vines with a 

 pitchfork, at the same time shaking off all the dirt 

 from the roots and nuts. Two rows of vines are tossed 

 together into a vrinrow. These are allowed to dry for 

 a few hours and then stacked. A pole about seven 

 feet long is put into the ground firmly and the vines 

 piled around this. Before stacking, some sticks of 

 wood are laid about the pole to keep the vines off the 

 ground. The stacks are made as narrow as possible to 

 give them a good chance to dry out. In about two or 

 three weeks from the time of stacking, the crop will be 

 ready to be picked. This is usually done by women 

 or children, and is paid for by the bushel. The pick- 

 ing is an expensive operation, and it may be delayed, 

 but if the hay is wanted it is best not to leave this out 

 any longer than necessary. It is also well to have the 

 nuts where they cannot be destroyed by insects and 

 other animals. Where one has the barn-room it will 

 be found cheaper to dry the crop well and then house 

 it at once. 



The smaller kinds fill the shell more completely, and 

 so can be picked by machine, but there has been some 

 objection raised by the retail dealers to buying the 

 nuts that have been picked by machine, but this will 

 disappear when the separator is perfected and when 



