CULTURAL PRACTICES 187 



spacings of 3 to 4 inches in 2-foot rows. In 3-foot rows, 25 to 40 pounds 

 of seed are needed for spacings of 6 to 8 inches between plants. 



The Alabama Station conducted 23 tests at eight locations, 1943- 

 1946, inclusive, and obtained practically perfect stands from planting 90 

 pounds of unshelled Spanish seed. Poor germination, covering either too 

 shallow or too deep, low vitality, and other factors affect emergence and 

 early growth of peanuts. It is usually necessary to plant 20 to 25 percent 

 more peanuts than the theoretical quantity necessary to obtain a stand. 



SEED PREPARATION AND TREATMENT 



High-yielding strains and varieties of peanuts are being developed. 

 Stock from these improved strains should be obtained by the grower, 

 multiplied and used for planting. When the crop is mature, peanuts for 

 seed should be harvested during dry weather and placed in small stacks 

 around poles as described in another section of this chapter. They should 

 be left in the stack for about 4 to 6 weeks before picking. After picking, 

 the seed peanuts should be either sacked or stored in bulk in a dry place 

 where there is free circulation of air. Peanuts should not be stored in 

 sufficient bulk to cause heating. When they are spread rather than piled 

 in one large heap, there is less danger of heating. Stored peanuts should 

 be protected from mice, rats, insects and other pests. 



Shelled vs. Unshelled Seed 



Both shelled and unshelled nuts are used for planting. The large- 

 seeded varieties are practically always shelled before planting, but some 

 growers plant the Spanish variety without shelling. 



Tests by the Alabama Station show that unshelled Spanish peanuts 

 planted at heavy rates produced good stands and satisfactory yields 

 as compared with an equal quantity of seed that were shelled and planted. 

 Results of these tests are given in table 20. In the tests 90 pounds of 

 seed per acre planted either in the hull or after shelling produced a stand 

 of plants averaging approximately 4 inches between hills. In 14 of the 

 23 tests, 60 pounds of unshelled seed per acre produced a stand averaging 

 5.15 inches between hills. It may be seen that unshelled peanuts gave a 

 slightly decreased stand and yield when planted late. These decreases are 

 believed to be due to a shortage of soil moisture at the time of the late 

 planting, which reduced germination of the unshelled seed. 



In other tegts conducted at Auburn in 1943 and 1944 ( 19) in which 

 low-vitality Spanish seed were used, low emergence was obtained from un- 



