322 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



salted peanuts are on sale in almost every confectionery store. 

 Many bushels are consumed annually in these forms, and large 

 amounts are used in the making of peanut oil and in the feeding 

 of live stock. Peanut oil is similar to olive and cottonseed 

 oils, and the making of it is an important industry in certain 

 parts of Europe. Few peanuts are used in the United States in 

 the production of oil, but large amounts are used annually for 

 the feeding of live stock. They are readily eaten by almost all 

 kinds of live stock, but are most often fed to hogs. Sometimes 

 the hogs are turned into the field about the time the nuts are 

 ripe and allowed to harvest the entire crop. When grown for 

 the market, the vines are used for hay and as much as 2 or 3 tons 

 may be secured per acre. Peanut hay is relished by all kinds of 

 live stock, and makes a palatable and nutritious feed. 



331. Cultural methods. Peanuts are planted in the spring 

 as soon as the soil is well warmed up. They may be drilled in 

 rows 30 to 36 inches apart, or they may be planted in hills to 

 permit of cross-cultivation. Seeds of the small varieties are 

 planted without removing them from the hulls, but usually those 

 of the large varieties are removed from the hull before planting. 

 One peck of hulled seeds or 6 pecks in the hull are required to 

 plant an acre. In the large varieties from one and one-half to 

 two pecks of hulled nuts will be required per acre. Cultivation 

 during early growth is similar to that given peas or beans. 

 When the peanuts are mature, they must be promptly harvested, 

 or they may start to grow. Harvesting is done by an implement 

 similar to a potato digger, which raises them from the ground. 

 The vines, with the nuts attached, are then put in stacks, which 

 are built around a frame work, to allow them to dry rapidly. 

 After they have been in the stack for a few days, the nuts are 

 then removed from the vines, either by machinery or by hand, 

 and placed in large bags ready for the market or for feeding. If 

 grown for market, the nuts are sorted and only the best grades 

 are marketed, while the poorer grades are used for feeding. The 

 yield varies from 30 to over 100 bushels per acre, 60 bushels 

 being considered a good yield. 



