100 



making the loss very inconsiderable in harvesting. The flavor of the 

 Spanish nut is very delicate and the kernel does not differ materially in 

 chemical composition from the Tennessee nut. except in its larger content 

 of water. Many people, however, prefer the larger nuts and so these 

 usually outsell the Spanish peanut, but the Spanish variety is a much 

 surer crop. When the white variety by reason of bad seasons makes a 

 comparative failure, the Spanish peanut often makes a large yield and it 

 is also more valuable for the feeding of hogs than the white peanuts. It 

 is said that when it is planted in Tennessee in a few years it grows as 

 large as the Tennessee nut. Extremely warm weather is not necessary 

 for the fruitage of the peanut. Cool weather will cause the pods to form 

 as readily as the hottest weather in July. It requires five months to ma- 

 ture the white variety. The Spanish variety will mature in about four 

 months. 



The best peanuts are planted early and therefore an early spring is 

 desirable, with no beating rains, especially if the land is strongly argilla- 

 ceous, for when the ground is baked the delicate young stem cannot pene- 

 trate the hard crust. A bad stand then results, which is scarcely to be 

 remedied by replanting. The regions growing the best nuts for eating 

 are embraced in Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. The extreme 

 Southern States grow the peanuts fully as well as the states mentioned, 

 but they contain so much oil as to impair their flavor and make them 

 more indigestible. On the other hand, when grown in the far South 

 they are better for fattening purposes, and far better for making peanut 

 oil, which is now regarded as one of the most valuable of the oil products. 



Peanuts have been successfully grown in Tennessee for many years in 

 the counties of Perry, Hickman, Humphreys, Dickson, Lewis .and 

 Wayne, situated in that natural division of the state known as the High- 

 land Rim, and in a few counties in West Tennessee. 



THE BEST SOIL The best soil for the peanut is a light colored 

 clayey soil, filled with finely-comminuted, cherty, angular gravel, which 

 makes the ground loose and prevents it from baking. The ground should 

 be well drained and light in color, for it is a singular fact that there is a 

 correlation between the color of the soil and the color of the nut. black 

 or deep red soils making a dark colored nut and light or whitish soils a 

 light-colored nut. The darker soils may, and most frequently do, make 

 a larger yield per acre but the nuts do not command such a good price 

 and are classed in a lower grade. 



Land with much humus is not suited to the growth of peanuts. The 

 soil should be strong but with a small amount of vegetable matter in its 

 composition. Peanuts, therefore, do not yield well after clover or in 

 freshly cleared lands. In such condition-s the amount of vine is excessive 

 and such land is best for growing peanut hay, but the quantity of good 

 peanuts is very small. The best results are obtained by planting the 

 crops after corn or tobacco or potatoes, or after any crop that requires 

 clean cultivation. 



TIME AND MANNER OF PLANTING The land for peanuts in 

 Tennessee is usually prepared during the latter part of April after the^ 

 danger of frost is passed. It should be well broken and finely pulverized 



