PEANUTS— VARIETIES OP PEANUTS 



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either be sold or fed to farm animals, 

 and they will in this way partially pay 

 for the cost of planting and cultivating 

 the crop. Some growers employ a baling 

 press and bale the straw as it comes from 

 the thrasher in order that it may be 

 more easily stored and also be available 

 for marketing. 



YAEIETIES OF PEANUTS 



There are not more than five or six 

 distinct varieties of the peanut grown 

 in the United States, but these few va- 

 rieties represent at least three separate 

 types. By classifying the varieties of 

 peanuts according to types we have first 

 the large-podded or Jumbo peas and the 

 small-podded peas. These types are sub- 

 divided into bunch and running peas. 

 Fig. 7 shows pods and peas of the more 

 important commercial varieties. 



Those varieties having a bunch habit 

 of growth are most generally grown, 

 owing to the fact that they may be 

 planted closer together than the running 

 varieties. The bunch varieties are also 

 more easily cultivated and harvested 

 than are the runners. 



Descriptions of Varieties 



The following descriptions of the more 

 common varieties of the peanut may be 

 of interest to those not already familiar 

 with them: 



Virginia Bunch 



Large-podded variety; plant rather 

 dwarf, stems upright, foliage rather 

 light; pods clustered about the base 

 of plant; usually two, sometimes 

 three, seeds in a pod; pod bright and 

 clean, color of peas light brown; pods 

 adhere well to plant in digging. The 

 customary weight per bushel of this va- 

 riety is 22 pounds. (Fig. 8, and Fig. 7 A.) 



Virginia Runner 



Large-podded variety; strong grow- 

 er; stems creeping, foliage heavy; 

 pods scattered along procumbent 

 stems; pods and peas very similar 

 to those of the Virginia Bunch; pods do 

 not adhere well in digging. The cus- 

 tomary weight per bushel of this variety 

 is 22 pounds. 



North Carolina 



Similar to Virginia Runner, except 

 that plant is not so large or vig- 

 orous and pods and peas are both smaller. 

 This variety contains a high percentage 

 of oil. (Fig. 7 B.) 



Spanish 



Small-podded variety; strong grow- 

 er; stems upright, foliage abundant 

 and heavy; pods clustered about base 

 of plant; usually two seeds in a pod, 

 entirely filling the pod; pods rough and 

 inclined to be darkened in color; color 

 of peas light brown; pods adhere well 

 to plant in digging. This variety fre- 

 quently yields 60 bushels of marketable 

 peas and two tons of hay to the acre. 

 The peas of this variety are rich in oil 

 content. The weight per bushel of Span- 

 ish peanuts is 28 pounds. (Fig. 7C.) 



Tennessee Red 



Small-podded variety; similar to Span- 

 ish, except that the pods are longer, 

 sometimes containing five or six peas 

 crowded together; peas dull red in color. 

 This variety is well adapted to stock 

 feeding, but does not sell upon the mar- 

 ket owing to the color and quality of 

 the peas. (Fig. 7 D.) 



Dixie Giant 



The variety known as Dixie Giant is 

 so called owing to the great size of its 

 pods. It is distinctly a novelty, does not 



Fig. 7. Commercial Types of Peanuts. A, Virginia Buncli or Virginia Runner ; B, 

 North Carolina ; C, Spanish ; D, Tennessee Red. 



