file was produced from images produced by ,core ,historical ,literature in ,agriculture 7,,chla71 ,cornell ,university7 ,,the ,,peanut ,,plant4 ,,its ,,cultivation ,,and ,,uses4 ,every species of plant requires certain physical conditions for its growth and perfection2 and these may be general or special4 ,if general1 then it will be widely diffused2 but if special1 its distribution will be limited4 ,,by ,b4 ,w4 ,,jones1 ,,of ,,virginia4 ,,illustrated4 ,illustration ,,new ,,york3 ,,orange ,,judd ,,company1 #aijb ,entered1 according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahhe1 by the ,,orange ,,judd ,,company1 ,in the ,office of the ,librarian of ,congress1 at ,washington4 ,,preface4 ,this little work has been prepared mainly for those who have no practical acquaintance with the cultivation of the ,peanut4 ,its directions1 therefore1 are intended for the beginner1 and are such as will enable any intelligent person who has followed farming1 to raise good crops of ,peanuts1 although he may have never before seen the growing plant4 ,the writer has confined himself to a recital of the more important details1 leaving the minor points to be discovered by the farmer himself4 ,if the reader should think these pages devoid of vivacity1 let him remember that we have treated of an every-day subject in an every-day style4 ,the interest in the theme will increase when the beginner has pocketed the returns from his first year's crop4 ,until then1 we leave him to plod his way through the details1 trusting that the great ,giver of the harvest will bless his labors1 and amply reward his toils in this new field4 ,b4 ,w4 ,j4 ,,warren ,,place1 ,,surry ,,county1 ,,va41 #ahhe4 ,,contents4 ,,page4 ,,chapter ,i4--,,description4 ,origin4--,natural ,history4--,varieties4--,possible ,range4--,analysis4 #e ,,chapter ,,ii4--,,planting4 ,soil1 and ,mode of ,preparation4--,seed4--,time and ,mode of ,planting4--,fertilizers4--,replanting4- -,moles1 and ,other ,depredators4--,critical ,period4 #ad ,,chapter ,,iii4--,,cultivation4 ,first ,plowing and ,weeding4--,subsequent ,workings4--,implements4-- ,when ,cultivation should ,cease4--,insect ,enemies4--,effects of ,cold4--,effects of ,drouth4--,appearance at this ,period4 #bg ,,chapter ,,iv4--,,harvesting4 ,when to begin ,harvesting4--,mode of ,harvesting4--,why ,cured in the ,field4--,depredators4--,detached ,peanuts4--,saving ,seed ,peanuts4 #cg ,,chapter ,v4--,,marketing4 ,picking the ,peanuts4--,price paid ,pickers4--,cleaning and ,bagging4--,peanut ,factories4--,the best ,markets4--,picking ,machines4 #df ,,chapter ,,vi--,,uses4 ,peanut ,oil4--,roasted ,peanuts4--,peanut ,candy4--,peanut ,coffee4-- ,peanut ,chocolate4--,peanut ,bread4--,peanut ,soap4--,peanuts as a ,food for ,stock4--,peanut ,hay4 #ee ,,appendix4 ,a4 ,statistics4 #fe ,b4 ,costs4 #fg ,c4 ,the ,peanut ,garden of ,america4 #fg ,,the ,,peanut ,,plant2 ,,its ,,cultivation ,,and ,,uses4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,description4 ,origin4--,the native country of the ,peanut 7,arachis hypoga7 is not definitely ascertained4 ,like many other extensively cultivated plants1 it has not been found in a truly wild state4 ,some botanists regard the plant as a native of ,africa1 and brought to the ,new ,world soon after its discovery4 ,sloane1 in his history of ,jamaica1 states that peanuts formed a part of the provisions taken by the slave ships for the support of the negroes on the voyage1 and leaves it to be inferred that the plant was introduced in this manner4 ,de ,candolle1 in ,gographie ,botanique ,raisonne1 and his latter work on ,l',origine des ,plantes ,cultives1 strongly inclines to the ,american origin of the ,peanut4 ,the absence of any mention of the plant by early ,egyptian and ,arabic writers1 and the fact that there is no name for it in ,sanscrit and ,bengalese1 are regarded as telling against its ,oriental origin4 ,moreover1 there are six other species of ,arachis1 natives of ,brazil1 and ,bentham and ,hooker1 in their ,genera ,plantarum1 ask if the plant so generally grown in warm countries may not be a cultivated form of a ,brazilian species4 ,if1 as seems probable1 the ,peanut is really a native of ,america1 then this ,continent has contributed to the agricultural world five plants that have exerted1 and will continue to exert1 an immense influence on the industries and commerce of the world4 ,these are3 the ,potato1 ,cotton1 ,tobacco1 ,indian ,corn1 and the ,peanut4 ,of these five1 the ,peanut1 the last to come into general and prominent notice1 is destined to rival some of the others in importance4 ,whatever may have been its origin1 the ,peanut plant has gradually made its way over an extended area of the warmer parts of both the ,old and ,new ,world1 and in ,north ,america has gained a permanent foot-hold in the soil of the ,south ,atlantic and ,gulf ,states4 ,nor has it yet reached its ultimate limits1 for cultivation and acclimation will inure it to a sterner climate1 until it becomes an important crop in latitudes considerably further north than ,virginia4 ,this is indicated by its rapid spread within the past few years4 ,remaining long in comparative obscurity1 it was not until a recent period that the ,peanut gained prominence as an agricultural and commercial staple1 but since it fairly started1 its progress has been rapid and sure4 ,natural ,history4--,there are some peculiarities about the ,peanut plant that make it interesting to the naturalist4 ,its habit of clinging close to the soil1 the closing together of the leaves at sunset1 or on the approach of a storm1 the beautiful appearance of a field of it when full grown1 and the remarkable wart-like excrescences found upon the roots1 are some of its more notable characteristics4 ,its striking preference for a calcareous soil is another of its peculiarities1 the ,peanut producing more and better crops on this kind of soil than on any other4 ,the ,peanut belongs to the ,natural ,order ,leguminos1 or pod-bearing plants1 and this particular member of it is as unlike all the rest with which we are acquainted1 as can well be conceived4 ,no other grows so recumbent upon the soil1 and none but this produces seed under ground4 ,the botanical name of the ,peanut is ,arachis hypoga4 ,the origin of the generic name arachis is somewhat obscure2 it is said to come from a1 privative1 and rachis1 a branch1 meaning having no branches1 which is not true of this plant4 ,the specific appellation1 hypoga1 or under-ground1 describes the manner in which the pods grow4 ,the following is a partially technical description of the plant3 ,root annual1 branched1 but not fibrous1 yellowish1 bitter1 and warty2 ,stem procumbent1 spreading1 much-branched1 somewhat hairy towards the extremities2 ,leaves compound1 leaflets obovate1 mucronate1 margin entire1 ciliate when young1 smooth and almost leathery with age1 leaves closing at night and in rainy weather2 ,flowers papilionaceous1 yellow1 borne upon the end of an axillary peduncle4 ,after flowering1 the forming-pod is1 by the elongation of its stalk1 pushed into the soil1 beneath which it grows and ripens2 ,legume1 or pod indehiscent1 woody and veiny1 one to four-seeded2 ,seed1 with a reddish coat1 the embryo with two large1 fleshy cotyledons1 and a very short1 nearly straight1 radicle4 ,figure #a represents a portion of the ,peanut plant4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a4--,,portion ,,of ,,the ,,peanut ,,plant1 showing how the minute pods from above-ground flowers are forced into the soil to grow and ripen4 ,varieties4--,while no botanical varieties of ,arachis hypoga have been described1 its long cultivation in different countries in unlike soils and climates1 has produced several cultural varieties4 ,taking the ,virginia ,peanut as the typical form1 there may be named as differing from it1 the ,north ,carolina ,peanut1 having very small but solid and heavy pods1 that weigh twenty-eight pounds to the bushel4 ,the ,tennessee ,peanut is about the size of the ,virginia variety1 but has a seed of a much redder color and less agreeable flavor4 ,there is a ,bunch variety1 that does not spread out like a mat over the soil1 but grows upright like the common field pea4 ,this last kind has been raised to some extent in ,virginia1 but has never become popular with planters1 and is fast passing out of cultivation4 ,it is possible that the ,bunch ,peanut is a representative of the plant in its wild state4 ,it produces fewer seeds and less vine than any other kind4 ,the flat or spreading ,peanut shows a tendency to sport in this direction1 and in any large field of peanuts1 quite a number of plants will be found that have the bunch form1 and such are always barren or seedless hills4 ,the small-podded1 or ,north ,carolina ,peanut1 is not at all popular with pickers1 because it takes a great many more to make a basketful1 and1 unless they are paid an extra price for picking this sort1 they cannot make as good wages4 ,nor do our planters seem to like it very well1 finding it more trouble to handle than the larger variety4 ,hence it is but little cultivated in ,virginia4 ,the ,peanut in its travels has also acquired a variety of names1 such as ground-pea1 earth-nut1 goober#a or guber1 and pindar4 ,also currency1 cash1 credit1 and other expressive titles4 ,of all these names1 ,peanut is the most generally used1 but ,ground-pea would be the more descriptive name4 ,possible ,range4--,from a somewhat careful study of the climatic requirements of the ,peanut plant1 and of the isotherms of summer temperature1 we are satisfied that it would thrive as far north as the northern limit of the zone of the vine4 ,this for the ,united ,states1 as delineated in ,mitchell's ,physical ,geography1 starts on the ,pacific ,coast in the latitude of ,british ,columbia1 turns suddenly south along the ,cordilleras to ,colorado1 then trends as suddenly northward to the northern limits of ,iowa1 strikes eastwardly along a line to the south of the great lakes1 and enters the ,atlantic in the vicinity of ,cape ,cod4 ,if our view is correct1 the ,peanut will thrive on any suitable soil within the limits of the ,united ,states lying to the south of this line4 ,this would make the cultivation of the ,peanut possible in by far the greater part of the entire country4 ,in fact1 there is no doubt but that it may be grown successfully wherever ,indian corn will thrive luxuriantly4 ,any section having a growing season of five months exempt from frost1 may raise the ,peanut4 ,this gives the crop a much wider range than has been thought possible4 ,it does not require a long period of extreme heat to mature it4 ,the seeds are mostly formed in the cooler weather of the latter part of summer and the first of autumn4 ,planted in ,june1 cultivated until ,august or a little later1 and harvested the last of ,september1 it can be perfected in four months1 though the ,virginia planter takes five months for it4 ,any good calcareous soil1 west of ,new ,jersey and southward1 that is not too elevated1 will grow the ,peanut4 ,analysis4--,this1 perhaps1 is not a matter of much practical importance to the planter4 ,the best peanut soil and the proper fertilizer had been found out before an analysis of the plant had been made4 ,still there are some advantages in knowing what are the prominent elements that enter into the composition of this1 or any other1 cultivated plant1 and an analysis is accordingly given4 ,an analysis made by ,doctor ,thomas ,antisell1 chemist to the ,department of ,agriculture at ,washington1 and published in the ,report of that ,department about the year #ahfi1 gives the following as the composition of the ,peanut plant3 ,in one hundred parts of the husk and nut taken together ,water #b4fj ,albuminous1 fibrous matter and starch #gi4bf ,oil #af4jj ,ash #b4jj ,loss 4#ad ------ #ajj4jj ,in one hundred parts of the husk and seed separated3 ,seed4 ,husk4 ,moisture #b4ea #b4fa ,albuminous matter and farina #gi4ga traces4 ,cellulose #he4dh ,ash #a4gg #aa4ij ,oil #af4jj ----- ----- #ii4ii #ii4ii ,the ash of the seed1 it was stated by the same authority1 consists of salts wholly soluble in water1 composed of the phosphates of alkalies1 with traces of alkaline1 chlorides1 and sulphates4 ,the ash of the husk differs1 in consisting chiefly of common salt1 phosphate of lime and magnesia4 ,the analysis of the ash of the ,peanut1 furnished to the ,american ,agriculturist1 by ,h4 ,b4 ,cornwall1 ,professor of ,analytical ,chemistry in the ,john ,c4 ,green ,school of ,science1 ,college of ,new ,jersey1 ,princeton1 and published in that ,journal for ,july1 #ahhj1 gives the following as the mineral elements of this plant3 ,,per ,,one ,,hundred ,,parts ,,of ,,ash4 ,silica #a4jf ,potash #dd4gc ,soda #ad4fj ,lime #a4ga ,magnesia #ab4fe ,phosphoric acid #ag4fd ,sulphuric acid #b4ec ,chlorine #j4ae ----- #ie4jg ,in this analysis neither the carbonic acid nor carbon were determined4 ,it was further stated that the kernels yielded #b4jh per cent4 of ash4 ,these analyses1 the one of the ash1 and the other of the seed and husk in their natural state1 are sufficiently full for the purpose in view1 and serve admirably to show the principal elements required in the growth of the ,peanut plant4 ,we see that albuminous matter and starch form a very large per cent41 over three-fourths1 of the seed4 ,of course an article so rich in fat-forming ingredients1 must be well suited for the food of man or beast4 ,this explains why hogs fed on peanuts take on fat so readily4 ,nothing will change the appearance of a poor hog sooner than a diet of peanuts4 ,the amount of oil in the seed--sixteen per cent41 makes the ,peanut one of the best oil-producing plants in the world4 ,of the mineral constituents1 potash forms by far the largest part--#dd4gc per cent4 ,soda1 magnesia1 and phosphoric acid also enter quite largely into the composition of this plant4 ,it will be noticed that common salt plays some part in the make-up of the ,peanut4 ,some may wonder at the small amount of lime reported to be present in the ash4 ,this may be explained by stating that lime is not per se a manure1 but a powerful chemical agent when applied to the soil1 reducing inert matter into plant food4 ,lime appears to be the driving-wheel in the laboratory of the soil4 ,its presence is essential1 but it does not do all the work itself4 ,of marl1 the best fertilizer yet discovered for the ,peanut1 the principal ingredient of value1 is carbonate of lime4 ,some of the ,virginia marls range as high as seventy and eighty per cent4 in carbonate of lime4 ,this form of lime is very valuable for all agricultural purposes4 ,like its more caustic relative1 it plays the part of a solvent and liberator1 refines and vitalizes the soil1 and causes other ingredients to perform their part in building up the framework of plants4 ,,footnote3 #a ,while goober may be one of the names of the ,peanut in some localities1 the plant so-called in ,georgia is ,amphicarpa monoica1 a native leguminous plant with two kinds of flowers1 one set always subterranean1 and the other above ground4 ,the under-ground flowers bear woody1 rounded1 one-seeded pods1 with a seed closely resembling a bean4--,,ed4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,planting4 ,soil1 and ,mode of ,preparation4--,a warm soil is required by the ,peanut4 ,a light1 porous soil in which sand predominates1 but not too sandy1 warm and dry1 and yet not too dry1 but containing some moisture1 and open to capillary circulation1 suits the ,peanut best4 ,in all cases the soil most suitable for the ,peanut must contain a certain amount of calcareous constituents4 ,the color of the soil should be gray1 with few or no traces of iron to stain the pods4 ,as a rule1 the brightest pods bring the most money1 and as the color of the pods is always influenced by that of the soil in which they grow1 it becomes a matter of importance to select that which is of the right description4 ,land of the above nature and color may be regarded as first-class for this crop4 ,but let it be distinctly borne in mind1 that unless it contains a goodly per-centage of lime in some form1 in an available state1 no land will produce paying crops of pods1 although it may yield large and luxuriant vines4 ,of all the forms of lime1 that supplied by the marls of the seaboard section appears to be the best4 ,but any soil that can be put into a friable condition1 and kept so during the period of cultivation1 will produce salable peanuts1 provided it contains enough lime to insure solid pods4 ,if it is known that a piece of land will produce sound corn1 at the rate of from five to ten barrels per acre1 the planter may rest satisfied1 without further experiment1 that it will yield from forty to seventy-five or eighty bushels of peanuts4 ,as the cultivation extends1 and more land is needed for this crop1 much of it is being put upon clayey soil1 and when well cultivated1 it generally produces heavy peanuts4 ,indeed1 more pounds per acre may be grown upon some stiff lands than on any light soil1 however calcareous4 ,but clayey land1 or such as is dark or tenacious1 will impart a stain or dark color to the pods that is objectionable to buyers1 and hence soils of this nature are generally avoided4 ,a tenacious soil is also colder and more inert than a light one during the earlier part of the summer1 and as the ,peanut plant requires a rather long term of warm weather to insure full growth and maturity1 a warmer and quicker soil is preferable4 ,buyers1 however1 are not now quite so particular as formerly in regard to color1 and hence there is more inducement to plant on any ground that will yield good1 solid peanuts1 and it is being more frequently done4 ,but the actual or prospective peanut planter1 who has an ash-colored or grayish soil1 which is sandy and non-adhesive1 is fortunate4 ,if he will keep it well limed and trashed1 or else rotate every fourth or fifth year with the ,southern ,field ,pea1 or other green crop1 and marl1 he will have land that will continue to produce paying crops of the brightest and most salable peanuts4 ,there is an abundance of good peanut land all along the ,atlantic seaboard1 from ,new ,jersey to ,florida4 ,doubtless there is much of it in the ,mississippi ,valley1 even as far north as the lake region1 and on the ,pacific coast from ,oregon southward4 ,there is no more reason for confining the cultivation of the ,peanut to the narrow belts at present occupied1 than there is for limiting tobacco to the ,states of ,north ,carolina and ,virginia4 ,the quantity of lime or marl to use at one application depends very much on the nature of the soil and the amount of vegetable matter it contains4 ,generally1 fifty bushels of lime1 or one hundred and fifty bushels of marl is a safe application1 but if the soil is quite thin1 and contains but little vegetable mould1 more than this at one time would be attended with risk4 ,the safer plan is1 to make several small annual applications of both marl1 and vegetable matter1 continuing this until a hundred and fifty bushels of lime1 or two hundred and fifty1 or three hundred bushels of marl have been applied4 ,after this1 no more calcareous matter will be needed in fifteen or twenty years4 ,land will bear large quantities of marl with perfect safety1 if kept well stocked with some vegetable matter to subdue its caustic effects4 ,but as most of the best peanut soil is deficient in this respect1 the planter should begin cautiously1 using small quantities until he has deepened his soil and supplied it with vegetable mould by trashing the land or turning in green crops4 ,in choosing land for a peanut crop1 some attention should be paid to the previous crop4 ,the ,peanut requires a clean soil1 one clear of roots1 brush1 stones1 or rubbish of any kind1 and hence it should follow some hoed crop1 such as corn1 cotton1 or tobacco4 ,in ,virginia1 corn land is generally preferred1 and1 as in the tide-water section1 much of this land has been heavily marled1 it commonly produces well4 ,the preparation of the soil for the ,peanut is the same as for corn1 or any similar crop1 except that more pains should be1 and generally are taken1 to get it in fine and mellow tilth4 ,if it breaks up rough and turfy1 as much land previously in corn is apt to do1 it should be harrowed or dragged until it is fine4 ,generally1 ,virginia planters do not plow quite so deep for peanuts as they do for corn4 ,this practice the writer believes to be unsound4 ,land should be plowed deep at the outset for all crops1 whatever their nature or manner of growth4 ,deep plowing is a corrective of dry weather1 and as drouth sometimes tells heavily on the ,peanut plant1 as was the case in the season of #ahhc1 it is always well to plow deep1 and give the moisture of the subsoil a chance to rise upward1 and reach the roots during a dry spell4 ,the formation of a fine1 mellow seed bed1 is all the preparation a peanut soil requires1 previous to planting time1 apart from the application of manures1 which is spoken of elsewhere4 ,the ,seed4--,with the peanut crop1 more than with almost any other1 good seed is a matter of paramount importance4 ,the seed sometimes fails to germinate well2 before this fact can be discovered1 and the ground re-seeded1 unless the first planting was made quite early1 the best season for planting will have passed1 and the crop planted late will never be so good as it might have been4 ,on the other hand1 a very early planting doubles the risk of failure1 in fact almost challenges failure by committing the seed to a soil too cold for germination and a quick growth4 ,it is highly important1 then1 to have good seed1 and to wait until both weather and soil are favorable for speedy germination and growth4 ,in order to determine whether the seed will germinate well or not1 let the planter begin to test them early in the spring4 ,let him take a dozen or two kernels that appear to be in quality a fair average of the whole lot of seed on hand1 place them in a tumbler with some dampened cotton1 or a piece of sponge1 and set the tumbler in a warm place1 where the heat is uniform1 and high enough to start the germ in a few days4 ,in a day or two1 if the seeds are good1 they will begin to swell1 and the embryo plant will soon begin to grow4 ,thus1 according to the number of seeds that have germinated out of the number tested1 the planter can calculate the probable per-centage of good seed4 ,a glass of peanuts growing thus in dampened cotton1 presents an interesting study1 and is a pretty ornament for the sitting room4 ,but the planter must not rest satisfied with one trial4 ,as soon as the out-of-door temperature will admit of it1 he should try quite a number of the seeds in the open ground4 ,selecting a warm1 sunny spot1 he should plant from fifty to one hundred kernels1 and shelter the place as much as possible from the cold winds4 ,if these germinate well1 the seed may be relied upon as good1 and no further trial need be made4 ,it is in this way that the ,virginia planter tests his seed every season4 ,about the first of ,april there is a great testing of the seed peanuts1 and1 although nearly every planter endeavors to save his own seed1 the quantity of doubtful seed is generally great enough to cause a brisk demand for good seed at advanced prices4 ,the method of saving seed peanuts will be given in a subsequent chapter4 ,some weeks before planting time1 the ,virginia farmer1 who plants from fifty to a hundred bushels of peanuts1 starts about having them shelled and assorted1 preparatory to planting4 ,this must be done with care1 and females are mostly employed to perform this work4 ,the pods are popped open with the fingers and thumb1 care being taken not to split or bruise the kernel2 all shrivelled and dark colored kernels are rejected4 ,after they are shelled1 the seed must be put into bags or baskets1 a small quantity in each parcel1 and set where there is a free circulation of air1 until wanted for planting4 ,if a large quantity is bulked together after being shelled1 or if put in a close box or barrel1 even in small quantities1 they are liable to heat1 and be prevented from germinating4 ,this fact is the result of some costly experience on the part of many planters4 ,thus it becomes necessary to handle the seed with great care and circumspection throughout4 ,from a bushel to a bushel and a half of peanuts in the hull1 or pod1 is estimated to be enough to plant one acre of ground1 the quantity depending on the quality of the seed and the distance apart they are to be planted4 ,time of ,planting4--,in ,virginia1 the first twenty days in ,may is regarded as1 in the main1 the most suitable time for planting4 ,some plant as early as the last week in ,april1 and the seasons frequently favor this early start1 and the crop does well4 ,more1 however1 plant in ,june than in ,april1 and sometimes planting is delayed until the middle or last of ,june4 ,on warm and dry land1 there is no great risk in planting the first week in ,may1 but on colder land1 the planter should wait until the ground has been warmed by the sun1 say the latter part of the same month4 ,if the farmer has reason to hope for a week or ten days of mild1 fair weather1 he may risk a planting quite early1 as in that time the seed ought to germinate1 and come up sufficiently to make it sure that it will grow4 ,once up1 the plant will hold its own1 and though cold rains or winds may retard its growth1 and cause it to turn yellow1 it will start anew with the first spell of sunny weather1 and rapidly change color to its normal green4 ,the above dates apply to the latitude of ,virginia4 ,in the far south1 peanut planting begins early in ,april1 while north of ,virginia1 the first half of ,june would1 in most seasons1 be quite early enough to commit the seed to the earth4 ,it should not be done anywhere until all danger from frost is passed for the season4 ,a very slight frost will destroy the ,peanut4 ,how to ,plant4--,i come now to consider the mode of planting4 ,here no very inflexible rules can be given4 ,practice varies greatly1 almost every planter differing more or less from his brother planters4 ,the chief points are1 to get the seed into the ground at suitable distances apart both ways1 to have the seed1 after it is planted1 raised slightly above the general level1 and to have the soil so free from clods that there will be nothing to hinder the young plant from pushing through after it has started4 ,any mode of planting that will secure these ends will effect the purpose4 ,if the ground has been once plowed in the early spring1 let it be plowed again only a few days before planting time1 and if at all rough1 or cloddy1 have it harrowed until in fine tilth4 ,when ready to plant1 draw furrows the same as for corn1 two and a half or three feet apart4 ,if the land is fresh and strong1 and never before in peanuts1 make the rows at least three feet apart4 ,after a year or two on the same ground1 peanut vines will not grow so large as at first1 and need not be so far apart1 either from row to row1 or from hill to hill4 ,when the land is thin1 some plant as near as twenty-seven inches from row to row1 and twelve inches from hill to hill4 ,if any fertilizer is to be used1 let it be put in the furrow before the ridge is formed2 a man or boy following the plow and spreading the fertilizer by hand4 ,a small ridge is then formed by lapping two furrows over the drill with the turn plow1 after which the knocker and dotter follow1 one leveling the ridge1 and the other dotting the row by making little depressions in the soil the proper distance apart for the seeds4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #b4--,,the ,,knocker ,,and ,,dotter ,,combined4 ,the ,knocker and ,dotter4--,sometimes the knocker and dotter are combined in one1 and it is withal a unique implement4 ,always home-made1 it partakes of all the native roughness and varied ingenuity of the ,southern planter4 ,the engraving1 figure #b1 will illustrate the mode of constructing this implement4 ,two pieces of timber are sawed from a log to serve as wheels1 such wood being selected as does not split easily4 ,the diameter of the wheel is made the same as the desired distance between the hills1 and three wooden pins are inserted equi-distant in the circumference1 so that the wheels will make three dots1 or signs1 for planting1 at each revolution4 ,these wheels are connected by an axle1 and set the same distance apart the rows are to be asunder4 ,two shafts are pinned to the axle1 and braced in front of the wheels to keep them steady4 ,a piece of heavy scantling1 or a log of wood1 six inches in diameter1 is secured to the under side of the shafts just in front of the wheels4 ,this is the knocker1 and serves to level the ridge before the wheels4 ,properly adjusted1 it does beautiful work1 and leaves a flat1 smooth ridge1 in fine condition for the seed4 ,the wheels pass along on the leveled ridge1 making the dots1 as shown in figure #b4 ,handles are fixed to the implement to enable the plowman to keep it in proper place1 and for convenience in turning4 ,one horse is fastened to this implement1 and two rows are prepared for planting at the same time4 ,this utensil would be troublesome to use in an orchard1 or on stumpy ground4 ,peanuts1 however1 should always be planted on open ground clear of all impediments4 ,instead of the knocker and dotter combined1 many planters omit the wheels1 and make a separate implement with one wheel and a handle1 to work by hand1 as represented in figure #c4 ,this can be run among trees and stumps4 ,it resembles a wheelbarrow without the body4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #c4--,,the ,,dotter4 ,hands--women1 children1 or men1 follow the dotter1 dropping a seed in each mark or depression1 and carefully covering it with the foot1 by pressing enough soil into the hole to just fill it4 ,the holes are made one and a half to two inches deep1 and the hands are cautioned not to get the seed covered deeper than that4 ,one inch is deep enough to plant1 if the soil is moist1 but if quite dry the seed may be put deeper4 ,proceeding in this way1 covering first with one foot and then with the other1 the planters get on quite rapidly1 although the hills are so near together4 ,the planting is not at all tedious after one gets the knack of it1 and is light and pleasant work4 ,some planters put two kernels instead of one in each hill1 to insure a stand1 but this practice increases the cost considerably1 and is by no means general4 ,after the seeds are planted they are very slightly1 if at all1 above the common level4 ,in a week or ten days from the time of planting1 the seeds will begin to heave or crack the ground1 which shows that the germ has started1 and greatly relieves the anxiety of the planter4 ,then1 by counting the number of signs in a hundred hills1 the farmer readily calculates what kind of a stand he will probably have4 ,fertilizers4--,we have already intimated that a calcareous soil is indispensable to successful ,peanut culture4 ,if the soil is not calcareous by nature1 it must be made so artificially4 ,hence the proper fertilizer to use is one that contains a large per cent4 of lime in some of its forms1 as the carbonate1 the phosphate1 the nitrate1 or the sulphate1 or the chloride of calcium4 ,recently1 the sulphate of lime 7gypsum71 has been employed1 even on limed or marled land1 and its use has been attended with good results4 ,animal and nitrogenous manures are not suited to the crop4 ,such fertilizers produce a heavy growth of vines1 but there will be no full1 solid pods unless lime in some form is also present4 ,marl has been found to be the one specific fertilizer for the ,peanut plant--better than any other form of lime2 and the chief element of value in marl has been shown to be the carbonate of lime4 ,some ,virginia marls contain as high as seventy-five or eighty per cent4 of the carbonate1 and all of them range over twenty-five or thirty per cent4 ,now1 marl is plentiful and cheap all along the ,atlantic seaboard1 from ,new ,jersey to ,florida1 the beds lying side by side of1 and intersecting1 the very land that is the best adapted to the ,peanut--a rare and fortunate coincidence1 that planters are learning to fully appreciate4 ,and were it not that the ,new ,jersey land-owner finds it more profitable to raise fruits and vegetables for the two great cities that lie on either hand of him1 even he would find the ,peanut to be a paying crop4 ,with his warm1 light sand and green marl1 he could easily raise them4 ,i mention this as one of the possibilities of the ,peanut1 though not likely to be realized for the reason named4 ,replanting4--,in about two weeks from planting1 if the weather has been mild1 the young plants should be large enough to show where replanting is necessary4 ,the planter goes along the row1 making slight depressions with his heel at all the missing hills1 drops a pea therein1 and covers it with the foot1 the same way as at the first4 ,instead of making depressions with the heel1 some use a long stake1 an inch or two in diameter1 to the lower end of which is affixed a piece of plank1 fastened two inches from the end1 and four or five inches long 7fig4 #d74 ,this is used for punching the holes1 and the piece of plank near the end prevents it from making the impression too deep4 ,this is another of the inventions of the ,virginia ,peanut-planter2 so true is it that necessity is the mother of invention1 a new crop calls for new devices for its successful and profitable cultivation4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #d4--,,stake4 ,in replanting1 it is well to put two or more kernels to the hill1 as the season will be getting late1 and no time should be lost in securing a good stand4 ,there can be no subsequent replanting with any profit4 ,moles and other ,depredators4--,the ,peanut-planter has to contend with many enemies4 ,in many cases moles are exceedingly destructive to the planted seed1 burrowing along the rows1 and eating the seed1 hill by hill4 ,often raccoons1 foxes1 and squirrels grabble them up4 ,and everywhere the larger birds1 such as crows1 doves1 and partridges come in for a share of the seed1 and annoy and hinder the farmer very much4 ,there is no remedy but ceaseless vigilance4 ,the planter must go armed at every turn to protect his crop4 ,sometimes planters tar the seed to prevent the moles1 etc41 from destroying them4 ,it perhaps has some tendency to check the depredations1 but does not prevent them entirely4 ,coal tar is oftenest used for the purpose1 a half pint being enough to smear a bushel of seed4 ,the seeds are afterwards rolled in dry earth to prevent adhesion and trouble in planting4 ,traps1 guns1 and scarecrows are resorted to with varying success1 but if the depredators are numerous1 the planter is generally the vanquished party4 ,the ,critical ,period4--,the first four or five weeks after the planting of this crop is its most critical period1 and nothing but a good stand and the approach of warm weather will relieve the planter of his anxiety4 ,at the first1 many fears are reasonably entertained that the seed will not germinate well4 ,and even should a pretty fair per-centage of the seed come up1 cold and rainy weather may still seriously retard the growth of the plants1 or the numerous depredators that have been named may so far reduce the number of hills as to greatly curtail the yield per acre4 ,the very young ,peanut is among the tenderest of plants1 and a very slight mishap will serve to destroy or permanently injure it4 ,several days of cold weather at this period will make the struggling plants look pale and sickly1 and if warm suns are too long delayed1 many plants will fail altogether4 ,backward springs are a great drawback in the cultivation of this crop1 and cause many farmers to delay planting until it is certain warm weather cannot be many days off4 ,if the planter could always be sure of his seed1 this would be the better plan1 but if these late plantings fail to come up well1 the season is too far advanced for replanted seed to make a crop4 ,further north than ,virginia1 however1 it would1 we think1 be decidedly better to put off planting until both soil and air are warm enough to insure quick germination1 and then1 instead of replanting the missing hills with ,peanuts1 plant beans or field peas instead4 ,if the planter can get through the first month successfully1 he lays aside his fears1 and enters upon his work with renewed hope and energy4 ,to a recital of this work--the work of cultivation1 we now invite the reader's attention4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,cultivation4 ,first ,plowing and ,weeding4--,usually1 the cultivation of the ,peanut begins by first siding the rows with a turn-plow1 small mould-board attached1 by which the soil is thrown from the plants1 and lapped into a small ridge in the middle of the balk4 ,care is taken to run the plow quite near to the plants1 so as to leave as little as possible for the hoe to do4 ,the hoes follow the plow1 removing the grass between the hills1 if any1 and loosening the soil about the plants4 ,sometimes1 however1 in case the plants begin to get quite grassy very early in the season1 the sides of the ridges are first scraped off with the hoe1 the operator moving backward1 and clearing off one side at a time4 ,this removes the grass pretty well1 but does not loosen the soil about the plants4 ,if this method is pursued1 the plow should be put on in a week from that time1 to break the hard crust that will have been formed1 and to let in the air and heat to the roots of the plants4 ,if the first plan is followed1 the missing hills may be replanted1 if the former replanting has had time to come up1 but otherwise the ground about the missing hills should not be disturbed4 ,this1 however1 should depend upon the time at which the weeding begins4 ,if very late1 it is useless to replant4 ,the time for the first weeding must depend somewhat on the nature of the soil and the quantity of grass that may have sprung up since planting4 ,usually the first working should begin by the time the plants are two weeks old1 but if the land is mellow and there is but little grass1 the work may be put off a week longer4 ,but if rains have occurred and a crust has formed1 and especially if grass is coming on rapidly1 the planter should not wait for the plants to attain a certain age and size1 but should proceed to work the crop as soon as the plants are clearly out of the ground1 and have put forth one or two branches4 ,any practical farmer who knows how to plow and weed young corn1 will not be likely to err very far in working a crop of peanuts4 ,the operation is simple enough1 the two points being to clear away the grass and make the soil fine and loose around the plants4 ,any plan of working that will secure these ends1 will accomplish the purpose4 ,subsequent ,workings4--,the second plowing may be done with a cultivator1 running twice in the row4 ,this will level the ridge in the middle of the balk1 make the soil loose and fine1 and bring the loose earth up close to the plants1 which will make easy and nice work for the hands with the hoes unless there is a great deal of grass4 ,the second plowing and weeding is the most important working the crop receives1 and it is highly important that it be done well4 ,by this time 7last of ,june71 the days are long and hot1 the grass everywhere is growing apace1 and the ,peanut must be kept growing too4 ,the plants have now attained a size ranging from that of a saucer to that of a breakfast plate1 and there will be some hand-picking of grass necessary1 because some of it will be found growing too near the plants to be cut away with the hoe4 ,if there is very little grass1 the work goes on smoothly enough1 the hoes proceed quite rapidly1 three hands keeping up with one plow1 and finishing about two acres a day4 ,the third plowing may be given with a shovel or cotton-plow1 or with the cultivator1 again running twice in the row4 ,the hoes need not follow at this plowing1 but may wait until the fourth plowing1 done usually toward the middle or last of ,july1 or about the time the vines are a foot in diameter1 and are sending down their peduncles1 or stems1 on which the young pods are forming4 ,the plants begin to blossom by the first of ,july or before1 and continue to flower for more than a month4 ,the pods begin to form very soon after the flower appears1 and by the time of the last weeding great care must be taken not to cut the stems4 ,for this reason the hoes cannot proceed as fast as at the last weeding1 and if there is much grass growing up through the vines to be hand picked1 this working is tedious and laborious enough1 and tires to the utmost the patience and endurance of the laborer4 ,in fact1 this is the worst period in the cultivation of the peanut crop4 ,the weather is hot1 close1 and enervating2 the frequent stooping and picking makes it doubly laborious2 and1 on account of the size the vines have attained1 the plow must necessarily leave a wider surface for the hoe to go over4 ,all this makes greatly against the hoe hands4 ,it is no wonder1 then1 that1 with laborers1 many of whom are disposed to shirk their duty1 the last working is too often poorly and inefficiently done4 ,with more reliable labor1 such as is to be had in the ,northern and border ,states1 better success would be easily attainable4 ,the third weeding is the last working with the hoe that the crop receives1 and next to the last usually given it with the plow4 ,the ,virginia planter1 as a rule1 stops weeding by the first of ,august1 or as soon as the vines have well met along the row1 and have sent down a goodly number of young pods4 ,if there is any subsequent removal of grass1 it is done by picking it out by hand1 in order not to interfere with the pod stems4 ,but after the last weeding1 say in a week or ten days1 one more plowing is usually given1 generally with the cultivator or shovel-plow1 run once in the row4 ,this throws the soil up under the extremities of the vines1 leaving the row of plants on a nice flat bed and a water furrow in the middle of the balk4 ,the reader will observe that the cultivation required for the ,peanut is such as will keep the soil mellow and loose on the surface and clear of grass1 especially about the vines or plants4 ,any method of weeding and plowing that will secure these ends1 will serve the purpose4 ,accordingly1 there is a considerable diversity of practice in this particular1 both as to the mode of plowing1 times of working the crop1 and implements used4 ,the cultivation1 however1 is as easy and simple as that commonly bestowed on ,indian corn or beans1 but must be a little more thorough and painstaking4 ,that is all4 ,none need shrink from planting this crop through any apprehension that they will not work it properly4 ,the three essential points are3 keep the soil loose1 the grass down1 and do no harm to the young pods as they are forming on the vine4 ,implements4--,this topic has been1 in a measure1 anticipated1 allusion having already been made to the implements to be used in the cultivation of this crop4 ,a few additional remarks1 however1 may not be out of place4 ,the weeders should be armed with the best steel hoes1 with factory-made helves of ash1 light and slightly flexible4 ,the superiority of this hoe--usually called the goose-neck hoe in ,virginia--over the old style of weeding hoe1 with the heavy and stiff home-made helve1 cannot be estimated1 except by those who have tried both4 ,the same hand can perform an eighth more labor in a day with the light steel hoe1 and do it better1 and with more ease to himself4 ,the goose-neck will last two or three seasons1 costs but little more than the other kind1 comes ready for work1 and is1 therefore1 very cheap4 ,the blades should be kept sharp by repeated filing4 ,with us the first plowing is generally done with the turn-plow1 with a small mould-board attached1 throwing the earth into the balk4 ,for the second plowing1 the cultivator or cotton-plow1 is used1 either one of which does fine work on smooth land1 and makes it quite easy for the hoe hands4 ,the third plowing is commonly performed with the cultivator1 but if the ground is rough1 the turn-plow will answer better4 ,it is not common1 however1 to plant peanuts on very rough ground4 ,for the fourth and fifth plowings the cultivator or shovel-plow is used4 ,but should the crop get very grassy1 7which should never be permitted71 the turn-plow1 with large mould-board attached1 is used1 in order to cover up as much of the grass as possible4 ,this makes a large and objectionable ridge in the balk1 but it is the best way to conquer the grass when it gets too strong a hold4 ,the hoes follow the plow1 and scrape off the remaining grass1 except that near the plants1 into the balk4 ,bunches of grass that have grown up among the vines have to be pulled out by hand4 ,thus1 it will be seen that there is no plow made especially for cultivating the peanut crop1 the same plows and implements that are used for other and general farming purposes answering equally well for the cultivation of this crop also4 ,when ,cultivation should ,cease4--,when the peanut vines have interlocked considerably along the rows1 and have almost1 or quite met across the balks1 it is high time to cease cultivating them4 ,when the vines are large1 the cultivator or plow will tear and bruise them more or less1 sometimes breaking off large branches1 and1 of course1 destroying a number of pods4 ,if there is not room for the plow to pass without pulling out the young peanuts and harming the vines1 it should be taken off the field and the crop left to take care of itself4 ,so long as the vines remain small1 the crop may be worked to some extent1 provided always that care be taken not to molest the stems that have penetrated the soil4 ,every one of these that is harmed now is a peanut lost4 ,in ,virginia1 two months--,june and ,july--covers the period of cultivation for the peanut crop1 and it cannot be extended much beyond this time without some risk4 ,in fact1 a crop that has been faithfully worked during this time will not require anything more1 and any extra labor is as good as thrown away4 ,insect ,enemies4--,fortunately for the planter of peanuts1 there is scarcely an insect that does them any material harm4 ,at least1 such has been the case1 so far1 in ,virginia4 ,what subsequent years may bring1 is1 of course1 unknown4 ,but up to the present1 no insect has ever caused any extensive injury to this crop4 ,it is true that ants do sometimes destroy a few hills on certain soils1 by sucking the cotyledons of the plant before it has attained any considerable size and strength4 ,but this is1 by no means1 general4 ,even the voracious and ubiquitous ,colorado ,beetle manifests no taste for this plant1 although it has had abundant opportunity to test its edible qualities4 ,to the credit of insects generally1 be it said1 they are not omnivorous4 ,effects of ,cold4--,the effect of severe and prolonged cold on the ,peanut plant in the early part of the season1 is often quite manifest4 ,cool nights and cold rains are much dreaded1 they cause the plants to turn yellow and look sickly4 ,the vines make little or no growth1 the leaves become spotted and curled1 as if they had been touched by fire1 and the whole plant gets into that unthrifty looking state denominated1 in the local parlance of the planter1 the pouts4 ,but let a few days of warm sun occur1 and all is speedily changed4 ,the plants assume a fresh and lively green1 and their growth is now rapid until they reach maturity4 ,effects of ,drouth4--,a very dry spring would cause the ,peanut to come up badly1 and would1 therefore1 seriously affect the crop4 ,such an occurrence1 however1 is very rare in ,virginia1 as well as in the country generally1 and is not regarded with much apprehension4 ,if the plant is once well established in the soil1 being tap-rooted1 it can stand a good deal of dry weather4 ,it takes a long period of extremely dry weather to materially injure this crop4 ,such a season did occur in #ahhc1 and the consequence was a great many blasted pods and a short crop4 ,generally1 moderately dry summers are looked upon with favor by the planter1 inasmuch as seasons of this kind enable him to keep the crop clean of grass at much less cost4 ,just here we would repeat what we said in ,chapter ,,ii1 in relation to deep plowing preparatory to planting4 ,with a soil deeply broken in the outset1 the ,peanut will withstand successfully any period of dry weather ever likely to occur in this country4 ,it has been noticed that the crops that suffer the most from drouths are those planted on land not well prepared1 or in orchards of growing trees1 which necessarily extract a great deal of moisture from the soil4 ,even in a season as severe as that of #ahhc1 peanuts planted on a deep1 mellow soil out of the reach of trees1 did well1 and were well seeded and filled4 ,deep preparation of the soil1 then1 is a corrective of drouth for this crop1 as well as for any other4 ,with this simple precaution1 no great apprehension need be entertained of the effects of dry weather4 ,let the planter but do his part in preparation and cultivation1 and nature will be sure to respond with liberal1 if not overflowing crops4 ,the corn-planter has more to fear from dry weather than the peanut-planter4 ,appearance at this ,period4--,the appearance of a thrifty crop of peanuts at the time of maturity1 or a little after the last weeding1 is simply magnificent4 ,the vines have now met in both directions1 and the whole field1 from a little distance1 looks as if covered with a carpet of velvet-plush4 ,nothing obstructs the view4 ,the vines lie close on the soil1 and the eye reaches every nook and corner of the field1 and takes in the whole panorama at one glance4 ,few other crops afford so clear or so pleasing a prospect4 ,indian corn1 in the tender green of summer1 is a beautiful object to look upon1 but it shuts out all view of distant parts of the farm4 ,the golden wheat1 as it bends to the passing breeze1 is also beautiful1 but one must go around it and not through it4 ,a field of cotton1 as the open bolls display the snowy lint1 is a sight to please the admirer of nature1 but it lacks the setting of green that is always pleasing to the eye4 ,the peanut crop surpasses them all in beauty4 ,it presents an air of freedom1 of repose1 of life1 and of security from harm1 of which no other can boast4 ,such is the crop to which we have invited the reader's attention1 and the planting and cultivation of which we have endeavored to describe4 ,having proceeded thus far1 let us pause a moment1 as the writer has done1 time and again1 to survey the beautiful prospect of a field of peanuts in full maturity4 ,there it is1 a literal carpet of living green1 covering acres on acres of mother earth1 and beneath its velvet folds is quietly growing the wealth that is to make its owner independent1 and by means of which the planter's family is to secure most of the necessaries and comforts of life4 ,no crop outside of the market gardens1 yields so much actual cash per acre as this4 ,no wonder1 then1 that it readily becomes popular with all who try it1 and that it never loses ground wherever introduced under favorable circumstances4 ,an interval of about two months now elapses1 during which the crop requires no attention4 ,the seed pods are filling and maturing1 and the whole plant is ripening for the harvest4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,harvesting4 ,when to begin ,harvesting4--,we come now to the laborious and often difficult work of harvesting the peanut crop4 ,we say difficult1 for often rainy or other unpropitious weather at this period1 makes it exceedingly hard to save the crop in good condition1 and prevent the pods from becoming dark or spotted4 ,ordinarily1 the harvesting should not begin so long as mild and growing weather continues1 even though ,october may be far spent4 ,it is important1 of course1 to get as many firm1 matured pods on a vine as possible1 and the longer the weather holds favorable for this1 the more pods1 as a rule1 will there be4 ,if1 however1 the crop has been planted early1 and the leaves begin to fall from the vines1 it is better to start the plow and dig the crop at once4 ,when the ,peanut plant gets fully matured1 it is very apt to begin to cast its leaves1 especially on ground that has been planted in peanuts often before4 ,after the leaves fall off1 the vines are of very little value as hay1 and as most planters consider them excellent provender1 they make it a point to harvest the crop in time to secure good hay4 ,for the same reason1 effort is made to dig and shock the vines before a killing frost occurs4 ,frost spoils the vines for fodder1 though it does no harm to the pods1 unless it be for seed4 ,some suppose that seed taken from frost-bitten vines will not come up well4 ,in the latitude of ,virginia the usual time for digging the peanut crop is the second and third weeks in ,october4 ,that is1 the great bulk of the crop is dug about this time1 though some start the first week in that month1 and others wait until the close1 unless driven to start earlier by the weather4 ,in rare cases1 some planters dig by the twenty-fifth of ,september1 but it is generally believed that all who start thus early lose more in weight and yield than they gain in time or price4 ,six or ten days of mild weather at this stage of the crop1 will make an appreciable difference in the yield1 and if the peanuts can remain in the ground until the latter part of ,october1 there will be very few saps1 or immature pods4 ,but1 in whatever latitude the planter may reside1 the general rule should be1 to dig before a killing frost occurs4 ,mode of ,harvesting4--,in ,virginia1 the general practice is as follows3 ,first1 plow the peanuts with a point having a long1 narrow wing1 and a small mould-board1 so that the vines will be loosened without having any earth thrown upon them4 ,the plow passes along on both sides of the rows1 just near enough for the wing to fairly reach the tap-root1 which it severs4 ,care is taken to put the plow deep enough to pass under the pods without severing them from the vines4 ,this is important1 as most of the detached pods are lost1 and if the work is slovenly done1 the loss will be great4 ,hands with pitchforks follow the plow1 lift the vines from the loose soil1 shake them well to get the earth off1 and then lay them down1 either singly or in small piles1 to remain a day or two to wilt and cure in the sun4 ,this is light work1 and can be done rapidly1 two hands being enough to keep up with one plow4 ,if rain is feared1 it is best to lay the vines down singly after shaking them1 for1 when in piles1 if rain occurs1 and the weather is warm1 the pods are apt to speck and mildew before the vines can dry out4 ,a rain falling on the pods after they are dug1 and before they are shocked1 does no harm1 if the sun comes out soon to dry them before they can mildew4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #e4--,,shock ,,standing4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #f4--,,shock ,,removed4 ,instead of leaving the vines on the ground a day or two to cure1 many shock them up at once4 ,if the vines are perfectly dry1 this is as good a plan as any4 ,but if the weather should be warm1 and the vines are wet with dew or rain when put up1 they will be sure to heat1 and the pods will turn dark4 ,in cold weather the vines may be shocked both green and wet without risk4 ,the method of shocking the ,peanuts will be understood from figure #e1 which represents a shock as it stands in the field4 ,a shock as it is taken down for picking is shown in figure #f4 ,the vines are first laid together in piles1 about as much as one can handily carry on the fork at one time1 three rows being put in one4 ,the stakes1 which have been previously prepared1 are then set in the ground proper distances apart1 and two billets of wood1 four or five inches in diameter and two feet long1 are placed beside each stake to keep the vines off the ground4 ,a handful of vines is then laid1 pods up1 on one side of the stake for a bed1 and the same on the other side4 ,after this the vines are put on1 pods down4 ,the first are inverted to keep the pods off the ground1 though this is a matter of trifling importance1 if the billets of wood are large enough4 ,the successive handfuls of vines are laid up with care1 keeping the shock level1 lapping the vines1 and placing them on every side to make the work even4 ,as the work progresses the vines may be pressed down with the hands1 and the shocks are finished off round at top1 the better to shed the water4 ,no cap or covering for the shocks is used1 though much would frequently be saved1 could a cheap one be had4 ,a board nailed on the top of the stakes would protect the top layer very much1 and yet the planter who should adopt it would doubtless be laughed at4 ,a fast hand can put up fifty or sixty shocks a day1 with a boy to bring up the vines and assist in planting the stakes4 ,some shockers use the fork to lay up the vines1 especially toward the top4 ,the shocks are put up one in a place wherever needed1 so as to make the work convenient for the carrier4 ,some1 however1 put three or more shocks together1 as suits their fancy1 in which case fence rails are usually employed to build the shocks upon4 ,the above method is generally practised1 but there are many variations in almost every detail4 ,we have endeavored to give a clear idea of a safe method4 ,why ,cured in the ,field4--,perhaps some reader unacquainted with the cultivation of the ,peanut1 may ask3 ,why all this trouble to shock and cure the crop in the field8 ,why not pick the pods from the vines as soon as they are dug1 and cure the peanuts on scaffolds1 or elsewhere1 and cure the vines on the ground1 like hay8 ,we answer1 because the pods cure better in the shock than in any other way4 ,they get dry sooner1 and make heavier and brighter peanuts than could possibly be the case1 were they gathered at once1 and spread1 even in very thin layers1 on scaffolds to dry4 ,besides1 as rain on the pods when they are about half cured1 or during the process of curing1 would be very harmful1 it is found best to protect the pods by covering them in shock4 ,they can get more air in shock than if spread on a scaffold1 and a free circulation of air about them is important4 ,a scaffold close enough to hold the pods would exclude the air in every direction1 except from above4 ,when shocks are put up well1 the pods are very effectually protected1 except a few on the top1 and in about ten days are cured nice and bright1 and ready to be picked off4 ,the shocks may remain in the field many weeks1 subject to repeated rains1 without material injury4 ,of course rains of several days continuance would damage the peanuts more or less4 ,it is best therefore1 on this account1 and because of the numerous depredators that prey upon the crop while it remains in the field1 to house it as soon as sufficiently cured to render it certain the pods will not heat and spoil when in bulk4 ,depredators4--,the creatures of the animal kingdom that levy their tax on the unwilling planter1 and come in for a share--and often a large share--of the peanut crop1 are of many kinds1 and numerous in all4 ,of quadrupeds1 the deer1 fox1 raccoon1 squirrel1 and sometimes even the dog1 are more or less destructive2 the raccoon1 squirrel1 and fox are particularly so1 beginning their inroads early in the fall by scratching up the immature pods1 and continuing their thefts daily and nightly as long as any remain in the field4 ,in some localities1 these animals are exceedingly annoying1 and occasion great loss unless their depredations can be checked4 ,next to the animals named1 birds are most destructive1 while the peanuts are in shock4 ,such birds as the blue-jay1 crow1 partridge1 yellow hammer1 wild turkey1 and blackbird1 coming1 as some of them do1 not singly1 but in companies and flocks of hundreds and thousands at a time1 carry off vast quantities1 unless the planter is always on the alert1 gun in hand1 ready to meet them at every turn4 ,near the ,james1 and other large rivers1 it is a common occurrence to see1 not thousands only1 but tens of thousands of blackbirds in a single field at one time4 ,they often go in flocks covering acres on acres of ground1 and with their ceaseless activity and endless trilling1 present an appearance of which city-bred people can form no adequate idea4 ,of course they destroy a vast amount of peanuts in a short time1 unless speedily driven off4 ,there are also several species of field rats and mice1 together with the domestic rats and mice that get into the shocks to feed on the pods1 where they remain until disturbed by the pickers4 ,everything seems fond of the ,peanut after it is made1 and if the planter escapes the insect enemies in the summer1 the exemption is more than offset by the numerous and voracious depredators of the fall and winter4 ,and against most of them1 there is no effective remedy1 the planter cannot watch his crop all the time1 and traps are hardly worth using4 ,it is true1 something may be done with steel traps for such animals as the fox1 raccoon1 and squirrel4 ,but for the rest1 despatch in removing the crop from the field1 is the only certain preventive4 ,even then the planter does not entirely escape1 for rats and mice follow him within doors1 and riot in luxurious living so long as a single shock remains undisturbed4 ,perhaps no crop the ,southern farmer grows is subject to heavier or oftener repeated losses than the ,peanut4 ,yet1 despite it all1 it is a crop that often pays very handsome returns4 ,it has been1 and is1 the sheet anchor of many an ,east ,virginia farmer1 and if prices hold up1 will continue to be1 so long as there are lands here that will produce thirty bushels of peanuts to the acre4 ,this is but the minimum2 the maximum is not known2 a hundred and thirty bushels per acre has been attained4 ,detached ,peanuts4--,in the process of digging and shocking peanuts1 many pods must necessarily become detached from the vines4 ,some of these remain in the soil1 out of sight1 and numbers more are scattered over the ground1 from one side of the field to the other4 ,if the vines are fully matured1 and have changed color or shed their leaves1 and especially if frost has touched them1 the pods come off much more freely than if the vines are still green1 or scarcely done growing4 ,generally1 the detached pods are the best of the crop1 being those first matured1 and which are therefore solid and heavy4 ,of course these peanuts must not be lost4 ,women and children are employed to pick them up at so much per bushel4 ,if it is found that many pods remain in the ground1 a cultivator or light plow is run along the rows to bring them in sight4 ,in this way the most of the loose peanuts are saved4 ,still1 numbers will be left in the ground4 ,the planter is at no loss1 however1 to secure these also1 which he does by turning his fattening hogs on the ground as soon as he can remove the crop from the field4 ,hogs are exceedingly fond of the ,peanut1 and as soon as they find them out1 they will continue to root for them as long as one can be had4 ,frequently1 every square yard of large fields1 will be burrowed over by the hogs in their search for the detached peanuts4 ,no crop the planter grows will fatten a hog so quickly as the ,peanut4 ,thus in the harvesting of this beautiful and profitable crop1 nothing is allowed to be lost4 ,saving ,seed ,peanuts4--,it now remains to say something of the method of saving seed peanuts4 ,every step in this process must have in view one principal point--keeping the pods from becoming the least heated1 either in shock or in bulk4 ,perfect and continued ventilation must be secured4 ,the vines should not be shocked while green1 nor the pods kept in large bulk after being picked off4 ,neither should the vines be touched by frost1 either before or after being dug4 ,it is customary to dig and shake the vines as usual1 and leave them in the field four or five days1 or a week1 before they are either piled or shocked4 ,in this time1 if the weather is fair1 the vines will be so nearly cured that not enough moisture will remain in them to create a heat1 even in very warm weather1 and they may then be shocked with perfect safety1 after which they should remain in the field until thoroughly dry4 ,rain falling on the vines while they are lying in the field1 does no harm1 except it be to turn the pods a little dark1 which circumstance makes no difference with seed peanuts4 ,when the seeds are picked off1 keep them in baskets until ready to spread them in a cool1 dry room1 where they will be exposed to a free circulation of air4 ,in no case should they be in bulk4 ,spread them thinly in some loft1 where the air will reach them1 and where they will be secure from rats and mice4 ,they may be stored in sacks the same as for sale1 and laid in an airy room to remain all winter4 ,they should not be kept in a room where there is a stove1 or one subject to currents of hot air4 ,these suggestions embody all that need be done to secure good seed4 ,if peanuts are fully cured when picked off1 and are not kept too close1 they will prove good seed1 unless there is some radical defect of the germ or vital powers4 ,keep them from heating1 and they will germinate and grow as readily as corn4 ,every planter may1 and should1 save his own seed4 ,according to the number of acres that he thinks of planting1 let him provide two bushels of seed 7or forty-four pounds in the hull71 for each acre1 and he will have enough and some to spare4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,marketing4 ,it requires as much judgment to market a crop well1 as it does to raise and harvest it1 and often more4 ,unfortunately1 the majority of planters are sadly deficient in that knowledge of commercial life1 which would make them masters of the situation4 ,too often they are bound by lien or mortgage1 or else they have run up a heavy bill at the country store1 and when the crop is made and ready for market1 they are obliged to sell forthwith4 ,generally too1 this is the very time when prices are lowest1 and so the planter is obliged to part with the fruits of his labor at the most unfavorable rates1 and allow the middlemen to pocket the profits4 ,it is only by careful economy and prudent management1 on the part of each planter for himself1 that this evil is to be corrected4 ,without entering into the details of commercial affairs1 we will endeavor to show the planter how he may go into market with his crop1 prepared to command the best prices4 ,to this end1 it is essential that he have his crop in the best marketable condition1 remembering that a good article always sells well4 ,picking off the ,peanuts4--,this part of the work1 usually done by women and children1 may make or spoil the sale of the entire crop4 ,if stems are gathered with the pods1 and good1 bad1 and indifferent are all lumped together1 with leaves and trash thrown in for good measure1 a great deal of assorting and cleaning will subsequently be required1 or else the sale of the crop will be impaired to the extent of one or two cents to the pound4 ,in picking1 the stems should be rejected1 and the saps and inferior pods1 if gathered at all1 be kept apart from the rest4 ,only the best1 brightest1 and soundest pods should go into the ,a1 ,no4 #a's1 and these1 if clean of earth and trash1 will always bring top prices4 ,the saps also will sell1 at lower rates4 ,it is the neglect of these few precautions that so sadly curtails the bill of sale of many a planter4 ,if planters would offer pickers extra inducements for clean pods1 this difficulty would1 to a great extent1 be obviated4 ,when the same price is paid for all1 without regard to the manner of picking1 a premium is offered for slovenly work1 and the careless get better paid than the painstaking4 ,in picking1 the pops should be refused altogether1 and the saps and very dark pods go by themselves4 ,many planters1 however1 leave the saps on the vines1 saving the best only4 ,the saps1 however1 will sell1 either in pod or shelled1 and if numerous1 will more than pay for picking them4 ,it is1 therefore1 so much gained4 ,it must be confessed1 however1 that the presence of a good many saps on the vines1 makes them much more valuable as feed4 ,just here let us explain that pops are pods that have attained full size and firmness1 but which are minus the seed4 ,dry weather1 and the lack of calcareous manures in the soil1 will cause many pops4 ,saps are immature pods1 the last to form on the vine1 and which might become good peanuts if they could have a longer period of growing weather4 ,the presence of pops in the marketable peanuts is very detrimental to their sale1 and hence should be carefully rejected in picking4 ,saps also are detrimental1 but to a less extent than pops4 ,price paid ,pickers4--,the price paid pickers varies somewhat from one season to another1 according to the quality of the peanuts1 and the market price received for them4 ,hands commonly board themselves1 and receive so much per bushel for picking4 ,of late years1 the price has stood pretty uniformly1 at twelve to fifteen cents per bushel4 ,the peanuts are either measured or weighed4 ,if weighed1 twenty-four pounds are counted as a bushel in the first part of the season1 the extra two pounds being taken to make up for the subsequent loss in weight4 ,if a hand is boarded by the owner of the crop1 he gets but ten cents a bushel for picking4 ,a fast hand will pick from four to six bushels a day1 the children are just as likely to do this as grown people4 ,hence1 at this season of the year1 women and children earn what is considered pretty fair wages4 ,under the most favorable circumstances1 the best hands will pick seven bushels a day4 ,very much depends1 however1 on the quality of the peanuts1 and something also on the weather4 ,in very dry weather1 the stems come off with the pod1 and pickers cannot do as well4 ,cleaning and ,bagging4--,after the peanuts are picked off1 they should be cleaned1 before being sacked4 ,the object of this1 of course1 is to rid them of the earth that may still be adhering to them4 ,it makes the hull look cleaner1 and brighter also1 and thus enhances the sale4 ,formerly1 the planter made his own cleaning machine1 but recently1 since the starting of what are called ,peanut factories1 the planter very seldom runs his peanuts through any machine at all1 but sells them just as they are picked4 ,being thus rid of much trouble and labor1 it is doubtful whether it would now pay the planter to clean his peanuts1 as he once did4 ,the price paid for them now1 is almost as much as he would realize1 were he to take ever so much pains in cleaning them4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #g4--,,virginia ,,peanut ,,cleaning ,,machine4 ,but as the reader in other parts of the country1 may desire to know something of the mode of cleaning peanuts at home1 we give a description of the ,virginia machine for this purpose4 ,there is no patent on this machine1 and any one may make it for himself4 ,a cylinder 7figure #g71 as large as a flour barrel2 is formed by nailing narrow slats of plank1 to two circular pieces of timber4 ,the slats are put a little way apart1 but not far enough for the pods to slip through when the cylinder is turned4 ,a piece of timber runs lengthwise1 through the centre of the cylinder1 the ends of this project about a foot1 and serve as an axle on which to turn it4 ,a crank is attached to one end or both ends of the axle4 ,two pieces of scantling are fastened together in the shape of an ,x1 one for each end1 and these are held upright by having pieces nailed on horizontally1 from one to the other4 ,several slats on the cylinder are fastened together to make a door1 and this is attached to the cylinder by hinges1 and fastened with a button4 ,the peanuts are poured into the cylinder1 two or three bushels at a time1 and it is made to revolve slowly1 until all the earth and litter has fallen out4 ,the door is then opened1 the peanuts turned out and bagged4 ,in bagging the peanuts1 care should be taken to have the sacks well filled4 ,they are estimated to hold four bushels each1 and if properly filled1 good solid peanuts will over-run a little1 especially in the first part of the season1 before they are thoroughly cured4 ,as the sacks are being sewed up1 the corners must be packed with peanuts as long as any more can be got in4 ,for sewing up the sacks1 the planter needs a large peanut-sack needle and twine made purposely for this business4 ,sacks cost the farmer1 at the present1 ten cents each1 and generally the peanuts are sold by gross weight and nothing paid for the sacks4 ,in some markets the sacks are paid for1 and a pound deducted from the gross weight1 for each sack4 ,if the planter sells to a merchant near home1 he seldom sews up the sacks1 but ties them1 and they are emptied and returned to him at the store4 ,peanut ,factories4--,it does not fall within our present plan to describe these establishments1 any further than to give the reader1 outside of the peanut belts1 an idea of them4 ,formerly1 many peanuts were sent into market without being properly assorted and cleaned1 and it was found that1 by assorting and re-cleaning them1 a little margin of profit was left after paying expenses4 ,one step led to another1 and various appliances and machines were brought into requisition1 until now1 large buildings are devoted solely to the purpose of cleaning1 assorting1 and storing the peanuts4 ,some of these establishments employ many hands1 both male and female1 to clean1 separate1 and re-bag the peanuts ready for the trade4 ,thus it has happened1 that the business of cleaning peanuts has been taken out of the hands of the farmer1 reduced to a system1 and made a new industry4 ,in fact1 a division of labor2 and now the merchant buys the peanuts of the planter just as they are picked1 and the factories1 so-called1 clean and assort them for the large buyers4 ,still1 the merchant will pay more for ,peanuts in nice order1 and perhaps it would even now pay the farmer to properly clean and assort his crop before selling it4 ,the ,best ,markets4--,a few years ago1 the city of ,norfolk was the sole market for the ,virginia and ,north ,carolina planter1 and ,new ,york for the wholesale dealer4 ,later on1 ,wilmington1 ,petersburg1 ,richmond1 and several of the smaller towns began to buy peanuts1 until now1 every village and trading centre throughout the whole peanut belt1 has become the repository for the crop of its own immediate section4 ,every year1 the market has been coming nearer and nearer to the planter1 until now he finds it about as profitable to sell to the nearest country merchant1 as to ship to town1 and sometimes more so4 ,frequently1 the country merchant becomes the agent of some large buyer1 who furnishes the capital1 and he buys all the peanuts he can1 at figures very near the ruling market price4 ,of course1 this works very much to the planter's benefit4 ,he sees his crop weighed1 he escapes the middleman1 with all the attendant expenses1 such as commissions1 freight1 etc41 he sells for cash1 and he does not have to wait several weeks for returns4 ,under this state of affairs1 the home market1 or home buyer1 becomes the best for the farmer4 ,and with the constantly increasing demand1 and close competition between buyers1 the cleaning factories are also coming nearer the farmer1 and already exist1 or will soon exist1 in each of the counties and sections where the ,peanut is much grown4 ,thus the planters generally1 will soon be enabled to sell directly to the cleaners1 and the latter to the wholesale buyers4 ,so the planter will get market prices1 without the trouble of going to market4 ,perhaps the competition will eventually grow sharper still1 until1 not only will the peanuts be cleaned and bought at home1 but will also be manufactured into oil1 flour1 and the other commercial forms1 in the sections where they are grown4 ,in everything1 the tendency now is1 to carry the factories to the raw material1 and not the latter to the factories4 ,it is not to be presumed that this crop will prove an exception4 ,thus it is1 that the farmer's work is being narrowed down1 by the inevitable and beneficial law of the division of labor4 ,the planter may now turn his attention wholly to the cultivation of the crop4 ,how to order it1 so as to realize the largest possible yield from the smallest possible areas1 is now the problem before him4 ,he finds given to his hands1 a great and growing staple with great1 and still unknown1 possibilities1 and he sees the demand becoming larger and more earnest1 until now1 the buyer comes to his very door1 and puts down the ready cash for all of this crop that he has to sell4 ,of course the planter must1 and will bestir himself1 to meet the ever-increasing demand4 ,to do this with profit to himself1 he must study this crop from beginning to end1 he must learn the nature of the ,peanut plant fully and correctly1 and discovering how to increase the yield per acre to its maximum1 unravel the secret of how to grow it at the least cost per bushel4 ,picking ,machines4--,it may be well here to allude to a question1 which1 doubtless1 the thoughtful reader has already asked himself1 namely3 ,why does not some one invent a machine for picking peanuts rapidly1 instead of having to do it by the slow and tedious process of hand-picking8 ,in reply we state1 that numerous attempts to do so have been made1 but with very indifferent success4 ,none of the many picking machines1 that have hitherto been offered1 have given satisfaction4 ,it seems that they cannot be made to do the work1 and most planters appear to have given up looking for any help in this direction4 ,very recently1 the writer has heard of one picking machine that is said to be giving satisfaction1 but he has not seen it1 or conversed with any one who has done so4 ,that an efficient machine of this kind is an impossibility1 is not believed1 but whether anything can be made that would pay better than the old method1 is the question4 ,the planter must await developments4 ,perhaps some ingenious mechanic will take up the problem1 and give the planter a perfect and cheap picking machine4 ,here is a field for ingenuity4 ,a good machine would be a profitable invention4 ,who will try8 99 99 99 99 99 ,having now traced the ,peanut plant through the whole process of its planting1 cultivation1 harvesting1 and marketing1 the practical part of our task is ended4 ,if the directions are such as will enable the beginner in this branch of rural industry1 to successfully cultivate and manage this crop1 the end will have been attained1 and this little book will not have been written in vain4 ,it has been prepared for those having no practical acquaintance with the cultivation of the peanut crop1 not for the old and experienced planter4 ,and yet1 without egotism1 it is believed that even the latter may find something in it that will be of use to him4 ,practices vary in different sections1 even among men of the same calling1 and inasmuch as methods herein detailed1 will be found to vary from those practiced in ,north ,carolina1 ,tennessee1 ,georgia1 or the far ,south1 so will the planter in those ,states who may chance to read this treatise1 be enabled to compare our methods with his1 to see wherein they differ1 and perchance may find here some point or plan a little better than his own4 ,it only remains now to give1 in another chapter1 some of the many uses of the ,peanut4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,uses4 ,some of the more important uses of the ,peanut and its plant are here given4 ,in the course of time1 as new discoveries are made1 it is not improbable that the ,peanut may subserve other valuable ends4 ,but if no more uses than are now known1 are ever found for any part of this plant1 it will continue to occupy an important position among the agricultural productions of the country4 ,its importance will increase year by year1 its value being too well understood and appreciated for it ever to lose its place among our leading crops4 ,peanut ,oil4--,the use that gives the ,peanut especial value as an ,american crop1 is the place it occupies as an oil-producing plant4 ,the oil of the ,peanut is regarded as equal in all respects to sweet or olive oil1 and may be employed for every purpose to which that is applied4 ,this gives it at once a commanding position1 and were no other use found for the plant1 this would give it great importance among the economic productions of our country4 ,olive oil is largely consumed for culinary uses1 in medicine1 and in the arts4 ,except in ,california1 the olive has never been planted upon a commercial scale in this country1 and it is very important that we possess a plant1 that will obviate our dependence upon foreign oil4 ,of course1 it is not within our scope to describe the manufacture of ,peanut oil4 ,the farmer is satisfied with knowing that his crops are in demand1 and need not trouble himself about the methods by which they are converted into this or that useful commodity4 ,it is stated that a bushel of peanuts 7twenty-two pounds in the hull7 subjected to the hydraulic press1 will yield one gallon of oil4 ,the yield by cold pressure1 is from forty to fifty per cent4 of the shelled kernels1 though if heat be used1 a larger quantity of oil1 but of inferior quality1 is obtained4 ,the best ,peanut oil is nearly colorless1 with a faint1 agreeable odor1 and a bland taste1 resembling that of olive oil4 ,it is more limpid than olive oil1 and becomes thick when exposed to a temperature a few degrees below the freezing point of water4 ,peanut oil is not one of the drying oils4 ,during the late war it was extensively employed in the ,southern machine shops1 and regarded as superior in its lubricating qualities to whale oil4 ,for burning it is highly esteemed4 ,the chief consumption of the oil is in making soap4 ,for the production of oil for soap making1 there were imported into ,marseilles1 ,france1 from the ,west ,coast of ,africa1 in one year1 peanuts to the value of over five millions of dollars4 ,the residuum1 or oil cake1 may be sold for cattle feed4 ,roasted ,peanuts4--,almost every person residing in the eastern section of our country1 must necessarily know something of the value of roasted peanuts4 ,one cannot pass along the streets of any of our larger cities and towns1 without encountering1 at every turn1 the little peanut stands1 where roasted peanuts are sold by the pint4 ,they are kept for sale in numerous shops1 they are peddled on the railroad cars1 and sold to the loungers at every depot4 ,roasted peanuts are more common than roasted chestnuts once were1 and almost everybody eats them4 ,even the ladies are fond of them1 and frequently have them at their parties4 ,it is safe then to say1 that everybody likes them1 and finds them palatable1 healthful1 and fattening4 ,from a pig to a school boy1 no diet will fatten sooner than roasted peanuts4 ,a person can live on them alone for an indefinite period1 if eaten regularly and with moderation4 ,the analysis of the ,peanut shows it to be rich in the albuminoids1 or flesh-forming elements4 ,roasted peanuts1 therefore1 form a very useful article of diet1 and fill a place between the luxuries and the necessaries of common life4 ,wherever they have been once introduced1 they cannot well be dispensed with2 and as their use in this respect is constantly extending1 this purpose alone would serve to keep the product before the public as a salable article4 ,once let the ,peanut find its way to the great cities of ,europe1 and roasted peanuts be sold upon the streets there1 as well as here1 and the demand for them will far exceed the present limits1 and the cultivation be necessarily extended over a much wider area than now4 ,there is every reason to believe that the demand for the crop will continue to increase4 ,peanut ,candy4--,this is another of the purposes to which the ,peanut has been applied1 and serves to illustrate how varied and numerous are the uses of this remarkable production4 ,flat bars of sugar candy are stuck full of the broken kernels of the roasted nuts4 ,it is quite good1 and forms a pleasing addition to other kinds of confectionery4 ,peanut ,coffee4--,here again the ,peanut fills a useful end1 especially in times of scarcity1 or high prices for coffee4 ,taken alone1 and without any addition whatever of the pure berry1 the ,peanut makes a quite good and palatable beverage4 ,it closely resembles chocolate in flavor1 is milder and less stimulating than pure coffee1 and considerably cheaper than ,rio or ,java4 ,if mixed1 half and half1 with pure coffee before parching1 and roasted and ground together1 the same quantity will go as far and make about as good a beverage as the pure article1 and a better one than much of the ground and adulterated coffee offered in the market4 ,indeed1 if people will adulterate their coffee1 it were much to be wished that they would use nothing more harmful than the ,peanut for this purpose4 ,for making the beverage1 the ,peanut is parched and ground the same as coffee1 the mode of decoction the same1 and it is taken with cream and sugar1 like the pure article4 ,peanut ,chocolate4--,true chocolate is made by roasting and grinding to a paste1 by the aid of heat1 a very oily seed1 the ,cocoa-bean4 ,in the preparation of chocolate a great variety of articles are used to adulterate it and diminish its cost4 ,some of these1 such as sugar and starchy substances1 are harmless1 while others1 such as mineral coloring matters are injurious4 ,peanuts are largely used to adulterate chocolate1 and so far as wholesomeness is concerned1 are not objectionable4 ,in containing a great deal of starch and oil1 peanuts resemble the cocoa-bean1 though without the nitrogenous principle1 theobromine 7which closely resembles caffeine71 to which its nutritive qualities are largely due4 ,peanut chocolate is made in some ,southern families by beating the properly roasted nuts in a mortar with sugar1 and flavoring with cinnamon or vanilla as may be desired4 ,peanut chocolate1 on so high an authority as the author1 the late ,william ,gilmore ,simms1 is vastly superior to peanut coffee4 ,peanut ,bread4--,if peanuts are first mashed or ground into a pulp1 and then worked into the dough in the process of kneading1 no lard will be required to make good biscuit1 and the bread will have an agreeable flavor1 different from that imparted by lard1 but of such a mild and pleasant taste as to be entirely unlike the peanut flavor4 ,the skin of the kernel must first be removed1 or it will impart a bitterish and nutty taste4 ,there is some difficulty in doing this4 ,scalding does not do it very well4 ,strong soda water or lye1 will quickly loosen it1 so that it may be readily removed by rubbing with the hands1 but either fluid would soon convert the ,peanut into soap1 and is1 therefore1 impracticable for this purpose4 ,could some cheap and handy machine be invented1 that would remove the skin from the kernel without loss1 no doubt large quantities of peanuts would be used for bread-making purposes4 ,whether or not it would be economical1 we cannot at present say4 ,peanut ,soap4--,if a fair article of soap can be made of corn shucks1 as was done in the ,south during the late war1 then there can be no doubt that a better quality can be made from ,peanuts4 ,surely a vegetable product containing such a large per-centage of oil1 would be easily acted upon by lye4 ,the writer has not experimented in this direction1 but we hear of some who have tried it1 and who say they have made a good and serviceable soap from the kernels of the ,peanut without the addition of other oil or grease4 ,we have no doubt but very good soap may be made from the ,peanut1 but whether the manufacture of such an article would be profitable at present prices1 is another question4 ,perhaps for ordinary laundry soap it would not1 but for the higher grades of toilet soap it might be4 ,here is a field for experiment1 and yet we mention this use1 as well as those of bread-making and coffee from the same article1 as one of the possibilities of this plant1 rather than a result to be looked for in the near future1 if at all4 ,it is well that manufacturers1 and all others1 should know what is capable of being done with this promising product4 ,the more we can multiply the uses of any product of our farms1 the wider will be the demand for it1 and this is what the farmers desire4 ,peanuts as ,feed for ,stock4--,this is a use for the ,peanut1 about which we can speak with confidence1 and from experience4 ,we now refer to the peanut pod1 including1 of course1 the kernel1 and not the vine or hay4 ,every kind of stock1 horses1 cows1 sheep1 hogs1 and poultry1 are exceedingly fond of the ,peanut1 and will leave any other food to partake of it4 ,cows1 horses1 and sheep eat the whole pod1 hull and kernel together4 ,hogs and poultry 7except turkeys7 reject the hull1 eating the kernel only4 ,turkeys1 as a rule1 swallow the pod whole1 and a real live turkey can hide away quite a quantity of the nuts in a short time1 if allowed free access to them4 ,in fact1 all animals do not seem to know when they have enough of this food4 ,all stock fattens readily on them4 ,the hog will lay on flesh faster on a diet of peanuts1 than on corn1 potatoes1 or any other product with which the writer is acquainted4 ,the poorest scrub of a hog1 turned into a peanut field1 after the crop is removed1 and where he can get nothing but the pods he may find by rooting for them1 will change his appearance in three days1 and in a week1 will be so much improved as hardly to be recognized as the same animal4 ,as a pork producer we believe that the ,peanut has not its superior in any clime or country4 ,it is a thorough fat-former4 ,poultry intended for laying should be sparingly fed with it4 ,but we would not leave this subject without a grain of caution4 ,while all stock fattens rapidly on the ,peanut1 it must be confessed that the fat is not always of the best quality4 ,it is less firm and more oily than the fat derived from ,indian corn1 nor will the lard from hogs fattened upon peanuts show that pearly white and flaky appearance1 which is the marked characteristic of pure lard made from corn4 ,for this reason1 most planters in the peanut belt1 feed their peanut-fed hogs on corn only for two or three weeks before killing them4 ,this is done to make the lard firm and white1 and in this manner1 good pork and lard are produced at only a trifling cost4 ,the hogs get nearly fat from the detached peanuts left in the field1 and which otherwise would be lost4 ,in this way the peanut-planter derives a very important benefit from this crop1 apart from its value as a source of ready money4 ,were there no other use for the peanut1 it would still pay well to raise it for making pork4 ,in this case1 the planting and cultivation would be the sole cost1 as the animals would do all the harvesting4 ,a very small field would fatten quite a number of hogs4 ,poultry intended for market1 might well be fed on ,peanuts1 instead of corn or oats4 ,the fowls would fatten faster and at less cost4 ,in fact1 we believe it would be economical to buy peanuts at ruling prices for fattening stock1 especially old stock4 ,peanut ,hay4--,if dug and cured before frost touches them1 and before the leaves fall to any great extent1 peanut vines make a very good provender for all stock4 ,some say it is better than blade fodder for horses and mules1 but we are not prepared to advance this extravagant claim for it4 ,it is1 however1 certainly an excellent article of fodder for cattle1 sheep1 mules1 and horses1 and if many sap peanuts are left on the vines1 stock that is not worked much1 will need no other feed during the winter months to keep them in good condition4 ,most planters1 accordingly1 make it an object to try to save the vines for hay1 and aim to dig the crop before they are injured by frost4 ,after a killing frost touches them1 the vines are next to worthless as a feed4 ,in fact1 frost-bitten peanut vines are harmful1 rather than beneficial1 to stock1 often causing colics1 and endangering the life of a valuable horse or mule4 ,peanut vines1 even the best of them1 unharmed by frost1 should not be fed very largely to horses4 ,there is always a good deal of grit and dust upon them1 and much of this taken into the stomach1 cannot but be more or less harmful to the animals4 ,and yet1 despite these few drawbacks1 peanut hay has proved to be a valuable forage1 and one that the peanut-planter could not well dispense with1 inasmuch as so many do not make enough of other forage to serve them1 and must1 therefore1 depend on the peanut crop to help them out4 ,thus the planter is benefited in several ways through this crop4 ,he gets a valuable staple to sell1 and one that always commands the ready cash1 he fattens his hogs on the pods left in the ground1 and he secures a large amount of very good hay in the vines4 ,thus he is doubly benefited1 and no matter how low the price of peanuts may be1 the farmer does not1 and cannot1 ordinarily1 lose much on the cultivation of this great crop4 ,if he does not risk too much on commercial fertilizers1 which no planter of this crop ever should do1 he runs little risk of suffering any crushing loss thereon4 ,such is a brief but connected view of the ,peanut crop from the time of planting the seed1 to its sale and manufacture4 ,the views and practice here advanced are all from original sources4 ,we have not drawn upon any other writer for any part of this treatise4 ,indeed1 save a few short articles scattered through the agricultural press of the past ten or fifteen years1 we know of no source from whence material could be derived4 ,so far as we are aware1 this is the pioneer work in ,america on the ,peanut plant4 ,this being the case1 it must1 of course1 be quite defective4 ,we might easily have made it a larger book1 and perhaps some few years hence1 when the field and subject shall have enlarged1 it will be found desirable to revise and enlarge this treatise4 ,for the present1 we must be satisfied with smaller things1 and remain content with a few practical directions rather than an elaborate work4 ,until that time1 if it comes at all1 we lay aside the pen1 and turn our hands 7as it has been our wont to do during the past few weeks7 to actual labors in connection with the ,peanut plant4 ,,appendix ,a4 ,,statistics4 ,it was our design1 at first1 to present a somewhat full array of statistics in relation to the ,peanut4 ,this1 however1 was soon found to be impracticable4 ,the more we studied the few data at hand1 the more were we convinced of their utter unreliability4 ,the fact is1 so far as the writer is aware1 there are no credible data of this crop existing4 ,no authoritative and systematic attempt to gather and compile the statistics of the ,peanut has ever been made1 and until this is done we shall never know its full extent and value4 ,the estimates--mere guesses--of certain mercantile houses and newspapers1 to express the bulk of the crop are1 beyond a doubt1 far wide of the mark4 ,the following from a ,georgia paper1 is of this class3 ,the goober#b plays a more important part in commerce than might be supposed4 ,we are all aware of its value as a social factor--of its influence upon oratory1 music1 and the drama--but how few of us know that one million nine hundred and seventy thousand bushels of this savory nut were consumed in this country during the twelve months ending on the thirtieth of ,september1 #ahhc4 ,these figures do not include the local consumption--say1 for instance1 in the rural districts of ,georgia1 where every substantial farmer has a patch of his own4 ,the figures relating to the goober crop make a column in the various prices current1 but ,georgia is not credited with any part of the crop4 ,it seems that the goobers of commerce1 so far as this country is concerned1 are raised in ,north ,carolina1 ,tennessee1 and ,virginia4 ,in #ahhb1 ,virginia raised one million two hundred and fifty thousand bushels1 ,tennessee four hundred and sixty thousand1 and ,north ,carolina one hundred and forty thousand1 making a total of one million eight hundred and fifty thousand4 ,the aggregate value of the crop amounted to two million dollars4 ,it is estimated that the peanut crop of #ahhc will be at least two million bushels4 ,we regret that ,georgia has no place in these estimates4 ,goobers can be raised in this ,state as readily as in ,virginia1 and there is no reason why our farmers should not take advantage of the demand for them4 ,the little patches for home use1 could easily be increased to patches calculated to yield a comfortable supply of pocket money4 ,as ,georgians are known as goober-grabblers1 there is no reason why they should not be known as goober-growers4 ,still1 these estimates serve a certain important end1 and give an approximate idea of the magnitude of the crop4 ,it is safe to say that it amounts to nearly three million bushels annually1 and were all the information gathered that could be1 it would doubtless be greater still4 ,it is high time that the corps of statistical reporters to the ,national ,department of ,agriculture1 were required to give the data for this crop1 as well as for others1 and some of them of less magnitude and value4 ,,footnote3 #b ,see remarks on the term goober1 in note on page #i4 ,,appendix ,b4 ,,costs4 ,perhaps the attentive reader has expressed surprise that so little has been said about the cost of planting1 cultivating1 and harvesting the peanut crop4 ,this was because no estimate of costs that would suit one place1 would apply in another and a distant locality4 ,there is no uniformity in this matter1 hence it was deemed best to leave each reader to count the costs for himself1 based on his knowledge of his own local surroundings4 ,,appendix ,c4 ,,the ,,peanut ,,garden ,,of ,,america4 ,the following article from the ,suffolk1 ,va41 ,herald1 gives a concise view of the growth and development of this staple in ,virginia1 and illustrates how a portion of the ,southside has become1 perhaps1 the leading peanut-producing section of our country3 ,when ,james ,h4 ,platt introduced his bill in ,congress imposing a duty upon peanuts imported from ,africa1 a large majority of the members of that august body hardly knew what a peanut was4 ,a few of them had eaten ',goobers' which had been carefully cultivated in the garden by their grandmothers1 but as to why they needed protection1 or how many of them there were to protect1 but little was known even by the best informed4 ,the culture of this important agricultural product was then in its infancy1 and it was hardly recognized as an article of commerce4 ,only a few short years have rolled by1 and what a change has been effected4 ,the peanut crop has assumed gigantic proportions1 and the aggregate amounts to millions of dollars1 while the nut is in demand from one end of the ,union to the other at satisfactory prices4 ,the section of country contiguous to and lying south of ,james ,river1 and between ,norfolk and ,petersburg1 may be correctly termed the peanut garden of the world4 ,in this section peanut farming has been brought to the highest state of perfection1 and the average production per acre greatly increased from what was considered a good yield a few years ago4 ,the one great difficulty in handling the crop seems to be1 in the fact that no machine has yet been invented which will pick off the nuts from the vines in a satisfactory manner4 ,this work must be done by hand1 and as the entire crop matures at one and the same time1 there is such a demand for labor during the picking off season that the supply is utterly inadequate to the demand4 ,it is probable that within the next few years some plan will be devised for the successful storage of peas and vines until they can be conveniently picked off2 and when this desirable end is accomplished1 much of the rush and confusion incident to the gathering and marketing of the peanut crop will be avoided4 ,this is already done by every thrifty planter who is able to hold his crop until such time as he sees fit to sell it4 ,he stores his peanuts away1 and picks them off1 mostly with his own force1 at convenient intervals through the winter and spring4 ,while so much has been done in the way of improvements in the production of the ,peanut1 those who have done the handling after reaching market have not been idle4 ,in former years1 only the bright shell and those well-filled1 could be sold in the market4 ,a dark color or half-filled pods was sufficient cause for rejection1 and frequently they were on this account not even offered in market4 ,here1 however1 machinery was more successful4 ,various mechanical contrivances have been put in operation for cleaning and assorting the nuts1 and to-day every grade of peanuts--from the large1 plump1 well-filled shell1 to the smallest1 blackest1 and most insignificant half-filled pod--has a regular standard market value1 according to the weight per bushel4 ,,standard ,,books4 ,commended by the ,greatest ,educators of ,germany1 ,england and the ,united ,states4 ,endorsed by ,officials1 and adopted in many ,schools ,new ,methods in ,education ,art1 ,real ,manual ,training1 ,nature ,study4 ,explaining ,processes whereby ,hand1 ,eye and ,mind are ,educated by ,means that ,conserve ,vitality and ,develop a ,union of ,thought and ,action ,by ,j4 ,liberty ,tadd ,director of the ,public ,school of ,industrial ,art of ,manual ,training and ,art in the ,r4 ,c4 ,high ,school1 and in several ,night ,schools1 ,member of the ,art ,club1 ,sketch ,club1 and ,educational ,club1 and of the ,academy of ,natural ,sciences1 ,philadelphia ,based on twenty-two years' experience with thousands of children and hundreds of teachers4 ,a method reasonable1 feasible and without great cost1 adapted to all grades1 from child to adult2 a plan that can be applied without friction to every kind of educational institution or to the family1 and limited only by the capacity of the individual2 a method covered by natural law1 working with the absolute precision of nature itself2 a process that unfolds the capacities of children as unfold the leaves and flowers2 a system that teaches the pupils that they are in the plan and part of life1 and enables them to work out their own salvation on the true lines of design and work as illustrated in every natural thing4 ,a ,wealth of ,illustration--#dgh ,pictures and #dd ,full-,page ,plates showing children and teachers practicing these new methods or their work4 ,a revelation to all interested in developing the wonderful capabilities of young or old4 ,the pictures instantly fascinate every child1 imbuing it with a desire to do likewise4 ,teachers and parents at once become enthusiastic and delighted over the ,tadd methods which this book enables them to put into practice4 ,not a hackneyed thought nor a stale picture4 ,fresh1 new1 practical1 scientific1 inspiring ,,among ,,those ,,who ,,endorse ,,the ,,work ,,are ,,herbert ,,spencer1 ,,dr4 ,w4 ,w4 ,,keene1 ,,president ,,huey--,of the ,philadelphia board of education4 ,,secretary ,,gotze--,of the leading pedagogical society of ,germany 7by which the book is being translated into ,german for publication at ,berlin74 ,,charles ,h4 ,,thurber--,professor of ,pedagogy1 ,university of ,chicago4 ,,talcott ,,williams--,editor ,philadelphia ,press1 ,book ,news1 etc4 ,r4 ,h4 ,,webster--,superintendent of ,schools1 ,san ,francisco4 ,,dr4 ,a4 ,e4 ,,winship--,editor ,journal of ,education4 ,w4 ,f4 ,,slocum--,president ,colorado ,college4 ,,frederick ,,winsor--,head master ,the ,country ,school for ,boys of ,baltimore ,city1 under the auspices of ,johns ,hopkins ,university4 ,g4 ,b4 ,,morrison--,principal ,manual ,training ,high ,school1 ,kansas ,city4 ,,dr4 ,,edward ,,kirk--,dean ,university of ,penn4 ,g4 ,e4 ,,dawson--7,clark ,university71 ,professor of ,psychology4 ,bible ,normal ,college4 ,,roman ,,steiner--,baltimore4 ,,specifications3 ,size1 #g- x #aj- inches1 almost a quarto2 #def pages1 fine plate paper1 beautifully bound in cloth and boards1 cover illuminated in gold2 weight1 #d- lbs4 ,boxed1 price #c4jj net1 postpaid to any part of the world4 ,orange ,judd ,company ,new ,york1 ,n4 ,y41 #eb-ed ,lafayette ,place4 ,springfield1 ,mass41 ,homestead ,bdg4 ,chicago1 ,ill41 ,marquette ,building4 ,,sent ,,free ,,on ,,application ,descriptive ,catalog of--,,rural ,,books ,containing #ajj #hvo4 pages1 profusely illustrated1 and giving full descriptions of the best works on the following subjects3 ,farm and ,garden ,fruits1 ,flowers1 ,etc4 ,cattle1 ,sheep and ,swine ,dogs1 ,horses1 ,riding1 ,etc4 ,poultry1 ,pigeons and ,bees ,angling and ,fishing ,boating1 ,canoeing and ,sailing ,field ,sports and ,natural ,history ,hunting1 ,shooting1 ,etc4 ,architecture and ,building ,landscape ,gardening ,household and ,miscellaneous ,publishers and ,importers ,orange ,judd ,company #eb and #ed ,lafayette ,place ,,new ,,york ,,books ,,will ,,be ,,forwarded1 ,,postpaid1 ,,on ,,receipt ,,of ,,price ,greenhouse ,construction4 ,by ,prof4 ,l4 ,r4 ,taft4 ,a complete treatise on greenhouse structures and arrangements of the various forms and styles of plant houses for professional florists as well as amateurs4 ,all the best and most approved structures are so fully and clearly described that anyone who desires to build a greenhouse will have no difficulty in determining the kind best suited to his purpose4 ,the modern and most successful methods of heating and ventilating are fully treated upon4 ,special chapters are devoted to houses used for the growing of one kind of plants exclusively4 ,the construction of hotbeds and frames receives appropriate attention4 ,over one hundred excellent illustrations1 specially engraved for this work1 make every point clear to the reader and add considerably to the artistic appearance of the book4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,greenhouse ,management4 ,by ,l4 ,r4 ,taft4 ,this book forms an almost indispensable companion volume to ,greenhouse ,construction4 ,in it the author gives the results of his many years experience1 together with that of the most successful florists and gardeners1 in the management of growing plants under glass4 ,so minute and practical are the various systems and methods of growing and forcing roses1 violets1 carnations1 and all the most important florists' plants1 as well as fruits and vegetables described1 that by a careful study of this work and the following of its teachings1 failure is almost impossible4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,bulbs and ,tuberous-,rooted ,plants4 ,by ,c4 ,l4 ,allen4 ,a complete treatise on the history1 description1 methods of propagation and full directions for the successful culture of bulbs in the garden1 dwelling and greenhouse4 ,as generally treated1 bulbs are an expensive luxury1 while when properly managed1 they afford the greatest amount of pleasure at the least cost4 ,the author of this book has for many years made bulb growing a specialty1 and is a recognized authority on their cultivation and management4 ,the illustrations which embellish this work have been drawn from nature1 and have been engraved especially for this book4 ,the cultural directions are plainly stated1 practical and to the point4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,irrigation ,farming4 ,by ,lute ,wilcox4 ,a handbook for the practical application of water in the production of crops4 ,a complete treatise on water supply1 canal construction1 reservoirs and ponds1 pipes for irrigation purposes1 flumes and their structure1 methods of applying water1 irrigation of field crops1 the garden1 the orchard and vineyard2 windmills and pumps1 appliances and contrivances4 ,profusely1 handsomely illustrated4 ,cloth4 #abmo4 #a4ej ,landscape ,gardening4 ,by ,f4 ,a4 ,waugh1 professor of horticulture1 ,university of ,vermont4 ,a treatise on the general principles governing outdoor art2 with sundry suggestions for their application in the commoner problems of gardening4 ,every paragraph is short1 terse and to the point1 giving perfect clearness to the discussions at all points4 ,in spite of the natural difficulty of presenting abstract principles the whole matter is made entirely plain even to the inexperienced reader4 ,illustrated1 #abmo4 ,cloth4 4#ej ,fungi and ,fungicides4 ,by ,prof4 ,clarence ,m4 ,weed4 ,a practical manual concerning the fungous diseases of cultivated plants and the means of preventing their ravages4 ,the author has endeavored to give such a concise account of the most important facts relating to these as will enable the cultivator to combat them intelligently4 #bbb pp41 #ij ill41 #abmo4 ,paper1 #ej cents2 cloth4 #a4jj ,talks on ,manure4 ,by ,joseph ,harris1 ,m4 ,s4 ,a series of familiar and practical talks between the author and the deacon1 the doctor1 and other neighbors1 on the whole subject of manures and fertilizers2 including a chapter especially written for it by ,sir ,john ,bennet ,lawes of ,rothamsted1 ,england4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,insects and ,insecticides4 ,by ,clarence ,m4 ,weed1 ,d4 ,sc41 ,prof4 of entomology and zoology1 ,new ,hampshire college of agriculture4 ,a practical manual concerning noxious insects1 and methods of preventing their injuries4 #ccd pages1 with many illustrations4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,mushrooms4 ,how to ,grow ,them4 ,by ,wm4 ,falconer4 ,this is the most practical work on the subject ever written1 and the only book on growing mushrooms published in ,america4 ,the author describes how he grows mushrooms1 and how they are grown for profit by the leading market gardeners1 and for home use by the most successful private growers4 ,engravings drawn from nature expressly for this work4 ,cloth4 #a4jj ,handbook of ,plants and ,general ,horticulture4 ,by ,peter ,henderson4 ,this new edition comprises about #ej per cent4 more genera than the former one1 and embraces the botanical name1 derivation1 natural order1 etc41 together with a short history of the different genera1 concise instructions for their propagation and culture1 and all the leading local or common ,english names1 together with a comprehensive glossary of botanical and technical terms4 ,plain instructions are also given for the cultivation of the principal vegetables1 fruits and flowers4 ,cloth1 large #hvo4 #c4jj ,ginseng1 ,its ,cultivation1 ,harvesting1 ,marketing and ,market ,value4 ,by ,maurice ,g4 ,kains1 with a short account of its history and botany4 ,it discusses in a practical way how to begin with either seed or roots1 soil1 climate and location1 preparation1 planting and maintenance of the beds1 artificial propagation1 manures1 enemies1 selection for market and for improvement1 preparation for sale1 and the profits that may be expected4 ,this booklet is concisely written1 well and profusely illustrated1 and should be in the hands of all who expect to grow this drug to supply the export trade1 and to add a new and profitable industry to their farms and gardens1 without interfering with the regular work4 #abmo4 4#ce ,land ,draining4 ,a handbook for farmers on the principles and practice of draining1 by ,manly ,miles1 giving the results of his extended experience in laying tile drains4 ,the directions for the laying out and the construction of tile drains will enable the farmer to avoid the errors of imperfect construction1 and the disappointment that must necessarily follow4 ,this manual for practical farmers will also be found convenient for references in regard to many questions that may arise in crop growing1 aside from the special subjects of drainage of which it treats4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,henderson's ,practical ,floriculture4 ,by ,peter ,henderson4 ,a guide to the successful propagation and cultivation of florists' plants4 ,the work is not one for florists and gardeners only2 but the amateur's wants are constantly kept in mind1 and we have a very complete treatise on the cultivation of flowers under glass1 or in the open air1 suited to those who grow flowers for pleasure as well as those who make them a matter of trade4 ,beautifully illustrated4 ,new and enlarged edition4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,tobacco ,leaf4 ,by ,j4 ,b4 ,killebrew and ,herbert ,myrick4 ,its ,culture and ,cure1 ,marketing and ,manufacture4 ,a practical handbook on the most approved methods in growing1 harvesting1 curing1 packing1 and selling tobacco1 with an account of the operations in every department of tobacco manufacture4 ,the contents of this book are based on actual experiments in field1 curing barn1 packing house1 factory and laboratory4 ,it is the only work of the kind in existence1 and is destined to be the standard practical and scientific authority on the whole subject of tobacco for many years4 ,upwards of #ejj pages and #aej original engravings4 #b4jj ,play and ,profit in ,my ,garden4 ,by ,e4 ,p4 ,roe4 ,the author takes us to his garden on the rocky hillsides in the vicinity of ,west ,point1 and shows us how out of it1 after four years' experience1 he evoked a profit of #a1jjj1 and this while carrying on pastoral and literary labor4 ,it is very rarely that so much literary taste and skill are mated to so much agricultural experience and good sense4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,forest ,planting4 ,by ,h4 ,nicholas ,jarchow1 ,,ll4 ,d4 ,a treatise on the care of woodlands and the restoration of the denuded timberlands on plains and mountains4 ,the author has fully described those ,european methods which have proved to be most useful in maintaining the superb forests of the old world4 ,this experience has been adapted to the different climates and trees of ,america1 full instructions being given for forest planting of our various kinds of soil and subsoil1 whether on mountain or valley4 ,illustrated1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,soils and ,crops of the ,farm4 ,by ,george ,e4 ,morrow1 ,m4 ,a41 and ,thomas ,f4 ,hunt4 ,the methods of making available the plant food in the soil are described in popular language4 ,a short history of each of the farm crops is accompanied by a discussion of its culture4 ,the useful discoveries of science are explained as applied in the most approved methods of culture4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,american ,fruit ,culturist4 ,by ,john ,j4 ,thomas4 ,containing practical directions for the propagation and culture of all the fruits adapted to the ,united ,states4 ,twentieth thoroughly revised and greatly enlarged edition by ,wm4 ,h4 ,s4 ,wood4 ,this new edition makes the work practically almost a new book1 containing everything pertaining to large and small fruits as well as sub-tropical and tropical fruits4 ,richly illustrated by nearly #hjj engravings4 #geh pp41 #abmo4 #b4ej ,fertilizers4 ,by ,edward ,b4 ,voorhees1 director of the ,new ,jersey ,agricultural ,experiment ,station4 ,it has been the aim of the author to point out the underlying principles and to discuss the important subjects connected with the use of fertilizer materials4 ,the natural fertility of the soil1 the functions of manures and fertilizers1 and the need of artificial fertilizers are exhaustively discussed4 ,separate chapters are devoted to the various fertilizing elements1 to the purchase1 chemical analyses1 methods of using fertilizers1 and the best fertilizers for each of the most important field1 garden and orchard crops4 #cce pp4 #a4jj ,gardening for ,profit4 ,by ,peter ,henderson4 ,the standard work on market and family gardening4 ,the successful experience of the author for more than thirty years1 and his willingness to tell1 as he does in this work1 the secret of his success for the benefit of others1 enables him to give most valuable information4 ,the book is profusely illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,herbert's ,hints to ,horse ,keepers4 ,by the late ,henry ,william ,herbert 7,frank ,forester74 ,this is one of the best and most popular works on the horse prepared in this country4 ,a complete manual for horsemen1 embracing3 ,how to breed a horse2 how to buy a horse2 how to break a horse2 how to use a horse2 how to feed a horse2 how to physic a horse 7allopathy or homoeopathy72 how to groom a horse2 how to drive a horse3 how to ride a horse1 etc4 ,beautifully illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,barn ,plans and ,outbuildings4 ,two hundred and fifty-seven illustrations4 ,a most valuable work1 full of ideas1 hints1 suggestions1 plans1 etc41 for the construction of barns and outbuildings1 by practical writers4 ,chapters are devoted to the economic erection and use of barns1 grain barns1 house barns1 cattle barns1 sheep barns1 corn houses1 smoke houses1 ice houses1 pig pens1 granaries1 etc4 ,there are likewise chapters on bird houses1 dog houses1 tool sheds1 ventilators1 roofs and roofing1 doors and fastenings1 workshops1 poultry houses1 manure sheds1 barnyards1 root pits1 etc4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,cranberry ,culture4 ,by ,joseph ,j4 ,white4 ,contents3 ,natural history1 history of cultivation1 choice of location1 preparing the ground1 planting the vines1 management of meadows1 flooding1 enemies and difficulties overcome1 picking1 keeping1 profit and loss4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,ornamental ,gardening for ,americans4 ,by ,elias ,a4 ,long1 landscape architect4 ,a treatise on beautifying homes1 rural districts and cemeteries4 ,a plain and practical work with numerous illustrations and instructions so plain that they may be readily followed4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,grape ,culturist4 ,by ,a4 ,s4 ,fuller4 ,this is one of the very best of works on the culture of the hardy grapes1 with full directions for all departments of propagation1 culture1 etc41 with #aej excellent engravings1 illustrating planting1 training1 grafting1 etc4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,turkeys and ,how to ,grow ,them4 ,edited by ,herbert ,myrick4 ,a treatise on the natural history and origin of the name of turkeys2 the various breeds1 the best methods to insure success in the business of turkey growing4 ,with essays from practical turkey growers in different parts of the ,united ,states and ,canada4 ,copiously illustrated4 ,cloth4 #abmo4 #a4jj ,profits in ,poultry4 ,useful and ornamental breeds and their profitable management4 ,this excellent work contains the combined experience of a number of practical men in all departments of poultry raising4 ,it is profusely illustrated and forms a unique and important addition to our poultry literature4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,how ,crops ,grow4 ,by ,prof4 ,samuel ,w4 ,johnson of ,yale ,college4 ,new and revised edition4 ,a treatise on the chemical composition1 structure and life of the plant4 ,this book is a guide to the knowledge of agricultural plants1 their composition1 their structure and modes of development and growth2 of the complex organization of plants1 and the use of the parts2 the germination of seeds1 and the food of plants obtained both from the air and the soil4 ,the book is indispensable to all real students of agriculture4 ,with numerous illustrations and tables of analysis4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,coburn's ,swine ,husbandry4 ,by ,f4 ,d4 ,coburn4 ,new1 revised and enlarged edition4 ,the breeding1 rearing1 and management of swine1 and the prevention and treatment of their diseases4 ,it is the fullest and freshest compendium relating to swine breeding yet offered4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,stewart's ,shepherd's ,manual4 ,by ,henry ,stewart4 ,a valuable practical treatise on the sheep for ,american farmers and sheep growers4 ,it is so plain that a farmer or a farmer's son who has never kept a sheep1 may learn from its pages how to manage a flock successfully1 and yet so complete that even the experienced shepherd may gather many suggestions from it4 ,the results of personal experience of some years with the characters of the various modern breeds of sheep1 and the sheep raising capabilities of many portions of our extensive territory and that of ,canada--and the careful study of the diseases to which our sheep are chiefly subject1 with those by which they may eventually be afflicted through unforeseen accidents--as well as the methods of management called for under our circumstances1 are carefully described4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,feeds and ,feeding4 ,by ,w4 ,a4 ,henry4 ,this handbook for students and stock men constitutes a compendium of practical and useful knowledge on plant growth and animal nutrition1 feeding stuffs1 feeding animals and every detail pertaining to this important subject4 ,it is thorough1 accurate and reliable1 and is the most valuable contribution to live stock literature in many years4 ,all the latest and best information is clearly and systematically presented1 making the work indispensable to every owner of live stock4 #feh pages1 #hvo4 ,cloth4 #b4jj ,hunter and ,trapper4 ,by ,halsey ,thrasher1 an old and experienced sportsman4 ,the best modes of hunting and trapping are fully explained1 and foxes1 deer1 bears1 etc41 fall into his traps readily by following his directions4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 4#ej ,the ,ice ,crop4 ,by ,theron ,l4 ,hiles4 ,how to harvest1 ship and use ice4 ,a complete1 practical treatise for farmers1 dairymen1 ice dealers1 produce shippers1 meat packers1 cold storers1 and all interested in ice houses1 cold storage1 and the handling or use of ice in any way4 ,including many recipes for iced dishes and beverages4 ,the book is illustrated by cuts of the tools and machinery used in cutting and storing ice1 and the different forms of ice houses and cold storage buildings4 #abb pp41 ill41 #afmo4 ,cloth4 #a4jj ,practical ,forestry4 ,by ,andrew ,s4 ,fuller4 ,a treatise on the propagation1 planting and cultivation1 with descriptions and the botanical and popular names of all the indigenous trees of the ,united ,states1 and notes on a large number of the most valuable exotic species4 #a4ej ,irrigation for the ,farm1 ,garden and ,orchard4 ,by ,henry ,stewart4 ,this work is offered to those ,american farmers and other cultivators of the soil who1 from painful experience1 can readily appreciate the losses which result from the scarcity of water at critical periods4 ,fully illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,market ,gardening and ,farm ,notes4 ,by ,burnett ,landreth4 ,experiences and observation for both ,north and ,south1 of interest to the amateur gardener1 trucker and farmer4 ,a novel feature of the book is the calendar of farm and garden operations for each month of the year2 the chapters on fertilizers1 transplanting1 succession and rotation of crops1 the packing1 shipping and marketing of vegetables will be especially useful to market gardeners4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,the ,fruit ,garden4 ,by ,p4 ,barry4 ,a standard work on fruit and fruit trees1 the author having had over thirty years' practical experience at the head of one of the largest nurseries in this country4 ,invaluable to all fruit growers4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,the ,nut ,culturist4 ,by ,andrew ,s4 ,fuller4 ,a treatise on the propagation1 planting and cultivation of nut-bearing trees and shrubs adapted to the climate of the ,united ,states1 with the scientific and common names of the fruits known in commerce as edible or otherwise useful nuts4 ,intended to aid the farmer to increase his income without adding to his expenses or labor4 #abmo4 ,cloth4 #a4ej ,american ,grape ,growing and ,wine ,making4 ,by ,george ,husmann of ,california4 ,new and enlarged edition4 ,with contributions from well-known grape growers1 giving wide range of experience4 ,the author of this book is a recognized authority on the subject4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,treat's ,injurious ,insects of the ,farm and ,garden4 ,by ,mrs4 ,mary ,treat4 ,an original investigator who has added much to our knowledge of both plants and insects1 and those who are familiar with ,darwin's works are aware that he gives her credit for important observation and discoveries4 ,new and enlarged edition4 ,with an illustrated chapter on beneficial insects4 ,fully illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,the ,dogs of ,great ,britain1 ,america and ,other ,countries4 ,new1 enlarged and revised edition4 ,their breeding1 training and management1 in health and disease2 comprising all the essential parts of the two standard works on dogs by ,stonehenge4 ,it describes the best game and hunting grounds in ,america4 ,contains over one hundred beautiful engravings1 embracing most noted dogs in both continents1 making1 together with chapters by ,american writers1 the most complete dog book ever published4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4ej ,harris on the ,pig4 ,by ,joseph ,harris4 ,new edition4 ,revised and enlarged by the author4 ,the points of the various ,english and ,american breeds are thoroughly discussed1 and the great advantage of using thoroughbred males clearly shown4 ,the work is equally valuable to the farmer who keeps but few pigs1 and to the breeder on an extensive scale4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,pear ,culture for ,profit4 ,by ,p4 ,t4 ,quinn1 practical horticulturist4 ,teaching how to raise pears intelligently1 and with the best results1 how to find out the character of the soil1 the best methods of preparing it1 the best varieties to select under existing conditions1 the best modes of planting1 pruning1 fertilizing1 grafting1 and utilizing the ground before the trees come into bearing1 and1 finally1 of gathering and packing for market4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,the ,secrets of ,health1 or ,how ,not to ,be ,sick1 and ,how to ,get ,well from ,sickness4 ,by ,s4 ,h4 ,platt1 ,a4 ,m41 ,m4 ,d41 late member of the ,connecticut ,eclectic ,medical ,society1 the ,national ,eclectic ,medical ,association1 and honorary member of the ,national ,bacteriological ,society of ,america2 our medical editor and author of ,talks ,with ,our ,doctor and ,our ,health ,adviser4 ,nearly #fjj pages4 ,profusely illustrated4 ,an index of #bj pages1 so that any topic may be instantly consulted4 ,a new departure in medical knowledge for the people--the latest progress1 secrets and practices of all schools of healing made available for the common people--health without medicine1 nature without humbug1 common sense without folly1 science without fraud4 #abmo4 #egf pp41 #ha illustrations4 ,cloth4 #a4ej ,gardening for ,young and ,old4 ,by ,joseph ,harris4 ,a work intended to interest farmers' boys in farm gardening1 which means a better and more profitable form of agriculture4 ,the teachings are given in the familiar manner so well known in the author's ,walks and ,talks on the ,farm4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,money in the ,garden4 ,by ,p4 ,t4 ,quinn4 ,the author gives in a plain1 practical style1 instructions on three distinct although closely connected branches of gardening--the kitchen garden1 market garden and field culture1 from successful practical experience for a term of years4 ,illustrated4 ,cloth1 #abmo4 #a4jj ,the ,pruning ,book4 ,by ,l4 ,h4 ,bailey4 ,this is the first ,american work exclusively devoted to pruning4 ,it differs from most other treatises on this subject in that the author takes particular pains to explain the principles of each operation in every detail4 ,specific advice is given on the pruning of the various kinds of fruits and ornamental trees1 shrubs and hedges4 ,considerable space is devoted to the pruning and training of grapevines1 both ,american and foreign4 ,every part of the subject is made so clear and plain that it can be readily understood by even the merest beginner4 ,cloth1 #hvo1 #ecj pages4 ,illustrated4 #a4ej ---------------------------------------- ------- ,transcriber's ,note3 ,typographical errors corrected in the text3 ,page #g privitive changed to privative ,page #ag challanges changed to challenges ,page #ef residum changed to residuum ,page #fd poineer changed to pioneer ,page #gj backneyed changed to hackneyed ---------------------------------------- -------