\ 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
In Cooperation with the 
South Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1478 
Washington, D. C. 
March, 1927 
EFFECT OF PLANTING DISTANCES AND TIME OF SHELLING SEED ON 
PEANUT YIELDS 1 
By J. H. Beattie, Associate Horticulturist, C. J. Hunn, Assistant Horticulturist, 
F. E. Miller, formerly Horticulturist, Office of Horticulture, Bureau of Plant 
Industry: R. E. Currin, Superintendent, and E. D. Kyzer, Research Assistant, 
South Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station 
CONTENTS 
Page 
Effect of planting distances on yield of 
peanuts 1 
Introduction 1 
Experiments in 1917 2 
Experiments in 1918 3 
Experiments in 191& 3 
Summary and conclusions — 4 
Page 
2. Effect of time of shelling peanut seed on 
germination and yield 4 
Introduction 4 
Experiments in 1922 5 
Experiments in 1923. 6 
Experiments in 1924. __ 8 
Summary and conclusions 10 
1. EFFECT OF PLANTING DISTANCES ON YIELD OF 
PEANUTS 
By J. H. Beattie, F. E. Miller, and R. E. Currin 
INTRODUCTION 
Peanuts must be spaced in planting so that they can be cultivated 
in the same manner as other field crops. In commercial practice the 
intervals between rows vary from a width sufficient for the passage 
of a mule to as much as 4 feet, the spacing in the rows from 4 to 15 
inches. 
In 1917 work was undertaken at the Pee Dee experiment station, 
Florence, S. C, a substation of the State station, to show differences 
in yield resulting from variations in the width between and the spac- 
ing within the rows. The work was continued for three seasons, and 
although the results apply particularly to the soils and climatic con- 
ditions found in the section where it was performed, they are of 
especial interest to peanut growers in general, as increased yields 
may often be obtained by practicing closer planting, yet keeping 
within the limits dictated by cultural methods which must be followed. 
!The experiments reported in this bulletin were conducted cooperatively bv the South Carolina Agri- 
cultural Experiment Station, Clemson College, S. C, and the Bureau of Plant Industry of the United 
States Department of Agriculture. 
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