11 
CULTIVATION. 
TOOLS REQUIRED. 
View. 
The tools adapted for the cultivation of peanuts arc prac- 
tically the same as those required for com. Shortly after 
planting the peanut field may be gone over once or twice with 
a weeder of the King or I hillock type, or with a light harrow, 
to loosen the surface and destroy weeds that are starting. In 
using these tools very little attention need be paid to the rows; 
in fact, many growers prefer to go directly across the rows. 
Later, after the plants appear and the rows can be followed, 
one or two teeth can be removed from the weeder, and this 
type of cultivation continued until the plants arc large enough 
for working with regular corn cultivators. A two-horse 
spring-tooth riding cultivator is one of the best implements for 
handling the peanut crop, and after the plants attain consid- 
erable size the spring teeth can be changed for the regular 
shovel teeth. A one-horse cultivator having five teeth is also 
an excellent implement, as the size of the shovels can be 22 
increased as the crop becomes larger, or hillers can be attached 
for working the soil toward the rows of plants. 
METHOD OF HANDLING THE CROP. 
Throughout the growing of a crop of peanuts it should be the 
aim to keep the entire surface of the soil fine and loose, and a 
bed of loose soil near the plants in which the pods may form. 
It is scarcely necessary to add that the crop should be kept free 
from weeds. At the final cultivation it is considered a good 
practice to throw the soil well toward the plants, forming a 
bed, at the same time leaving a small furrow in the center of the 
alley to provide drainage in case of heavy rains. It is not neces- 
sary to cover the blossoms or to throw soil over the vines. Some 
growers follow the practice of rolling the peanuts to make the 
pegs go into the ground and form pods. The best method is 
to provide an abundance of loose earth near the plants and 
they will have no difficulty in plants setting pods. Care should 
be taken, however, that the pegs that are already rooted be 
not disturbed by the final cultivation. Hand hoeing may be 
necessary, especially during a rainy season, when the grass 
grows rapidly. 
HARVESTING. 
Peanuts are harvested by lifting the vines from the ground 
with the pods attached and then stacking them around small 
poles to cure. Proper harvesting and curing is the most 
