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mosphere, appropriating nitrogen through the agency of the bacteria that 

 infest its roots. 



5 It is one of the best preparatory crops for wheat, as it leaves the 

 soil in excellent condition, adding a large content of nitrogen which is an 

 essential element in the growing of wheat. 



G The rapidity of its growth makes it the only crop in the South 

 that may be used as a manurial crop between the harvesting of grain and 

 the sowing of it on the same land. 



7 It grows as vigorously as clover and in connection with that plant 

 makes the South peculiarly rich in those vegetable agents that improve 

 the soil. 



8 It may be grown in connection with the corn crop, furnishing 

 almost as much nutriment as the corn crop itself, with a positive benefit 

 to the land. 



9 It is a substantial factor in the production of cheap beef, pork, milk 

 and butter. 



10 It doubles the capacity of the land for wintering stock, and gives 

 double the material for making manure heaps. 



11 The galled and waste places in the South can be more quickly 

 and cheaply restored by a judicious cultivation of the pea, and by proper 

 rotation of other crops with it, than in any other way. 



12 By adding humus it preserves the humidity of the soil and so 

 enables the crops to resist droughts. 



13 The vines of cowpeas furnish the very best material for ensilage. 



14 The composition of cowpeas and pea vine hay shows that they 

 have a very high feeding value for all domestic animals. 



PEANUTS (Arachis hypogaea.}~($orzgt for Cattle and Seed for 



Hogs.) 



Peanuts have long been a staple crop in some portions of the South. 

 They were introduced into Tennessee from North Carolina about sixty 

 years ago and for a long time the crop was regarded as one of the most 

 profitable that was made in the State. Within Yecent years, however, the 

 price has fallen so low that the quantity raised has sensibly decreased. 



Two varieties are grown in Tennessee, the red and the white. 



The red is an upright grower and produces a small nut, the epidermis 

 or outer coating of which is dark red in color. 



The white grows with spreading branches that lie flat on the ground. 

 These branches bear peanuts almost throughout their entire length. It 

 is highly important in growing white peanuts to have the land very mel- 

 low so as to permit the bearing "spikelet" to penetrate the ground. The 

 white peanuts command a better price than the red. The pods are larger 

 and whiter and present altogether a much better appearance. 



A few Spanish peanuts are grown in places. They are earlier than 

 the other varieties and have an upright growth like the red. They mature 

 a larger proportion of the nuts, so that, though the nuts are small, there 

 are fewer inferior nuts or ''pops." There is another advantage which is 

 .claimed for this variety and that is that the pods cluster around the vines 

 so closely that when the vine is pulled up nearly every nut clings to it, 



