1586 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OP PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



food by sucking the juices of the plant 

 from beneath the surface of the leaves, 

 stems or roots. The presence of this root 

 aphis is indicated by patches of what 

 appears to be a white mold upon the 

 roots and pods of the peanut and is gen- 

 erally not observed until digging time. 

 Thus far no great injury from these in- 

 sects is apparent, but should they be- 

 come very numerous great damage will 

 ensue, and about the only satisfactory 

 remedy which the writer can suggest is 

 crop rotation, planting peanuts on clean 

 land each year and only returning to the 

 original piece after a period of four or 

 five years. 



While in storage peanuts are attacked 

 by various insects. So long as the shells 

 remain unbroken these insects can not 

 gain access to the meats, but where the 

 shells have been injured or broken in 

 thrashing or in subsequent handling the 

 peas can not be kept during the summer 

 months. These insects are especially de- 

 structive in storage houses and cleaning 

 factories where peanuts are held for 

 summer trade. They may be destroyed 

 by fumigation with carbon bisulphid in 

 the factory or warehouse. Carbon bi- 

 sulphid forms an inflammable gas and 

 its use is attended with some danger and 

 should be applied by an experienced per- 

 son.* 



DISEASES OF THE PEAIVUT 



The peanut crop has thus far been 

 remarkably free from disease. About 

 the only disease that has been at all 

 prominent is a form of leaf spot (Cercos- 

 pora personata [B. & C] E. & E.) which 

 appears in the form of small brown spots 

 on the leaves. (Fig. 9.) 



This disease is especially noticeable on 

 the young plants during a wet spring, 

 giving the leaves the appearance of hav- 

 ing been scalded by the sun. Later in 



* For information regarding the use of this 

 insecticide the reader is referred to Farmers' 

 Bulletin 145, which may be obtained upon ap- 

 plication to the Secretary of Agriculture. No 

 general work has been published by this depart- 

 ment on the insect enemies of neanuts, but in- 

 formation in regard to any of them may be 

 obtained by application to the Bureau of En- 

 tomology. Correspondence will be facilitated if 

 specimens of the insects concerned in the dam- 

 .age .accompany letters of inquiry. 



the season the plants will as a rule out- 

 grow the disease, except in low or poorly 

 drained portions of the fields. Where the 

 disease is abundant upon the foliage the 

 pods are frequently discolored and rusty. 

 There can be no doubt that this disease 

 causes considerable reduction in yield on 

 land that is sour or poorly drained. It 

 is often observed that the disease will 

 be abundant in low spots without spread- 

 ing to other parts of the field. The pres- 



Fig. 0, Disease Appearing Upon the Leaves of 

 the Peanut. 



ence of the disease upon the foliage of 

 the peanut greatly decreases the value 

 of the vines for hay. Should this trouble 

 become prevalent it may be controlled 

 by spraying with Bordeaux mixture. Its 

 development may be prevented by proper 

 drainage. 



COIVCLUSION 



The peanut is worthy of more general 

 cultivation throughout the Southern 

 states, especially in the boll-weevil dis- 

 trict, where it will in many cases be 

 found more profitable than cotton. 



The uses of peanuts as a general farm 

 crop throughout the Southern states are 

 becoming more numerous, especially as a 



