CULTURAL PRACTICES 



197 



Figure 3. — Tractor-drawn rotary hoe. 





Figure 4. — One-horse cultivator. This type implement carrying sweeps is 

 largely used after the first cultivation. 



Later cultivation consists of cultivating shallow with sweeps or other 

 shallow cultivation implements run in the same direction as the rows. 

 Little or no soil is turned toward the plants except at the first cultivation. 

 Pegs (pins or young pods) should never be torn loose. The middle should 

 be kept clean until the vines cover sufficiently to smother weeds. 



The principal object in cultivation is to prevent growth of weeds and 

 grass, which are especially harmful because they reduce yield and greatly 

 increase labor in harvesting. In fact, very weedy peanuts are nearly im- 

 possible to harvest. Another object of cultivation is to keep the soil loose 

 so that the ovary of the seed stem can pierce the soil readily and thus 

 allow the nuts to form. 



