s are
large, the cultivator or plow will tear and bruise them more or less,
sometimes breaking off large branches, and, of course, destroying a
number of pods. If there is not room for the plow to pass without
pulling out the young peanuts and harming the vines, it should be taken
off the field and the crop left to take care of itself. So long as the
vines remain small, the crop may be worked to some extent, provided
always that care be taken not to molest the stems that have penetrated
the soil. Every one of these that is harmed now is a peanut lost. In
Virginia, two months--June and July--covers the period of cultivation
for the peanut crop, and it cannot be extended much beyond this time
without some risk. In fact, a crop that has been faithfully worked
during this time will not require anything more, and any extra labor is
as good as thrown away.

=Insect Enemies.=--Fortunately for the planter of peanuts, there is
scarcely an insect that does them any material harm. At least, such has
been the case, so far, in Virginia. What subsequent years may bring, is,
of course, unknown. But up to the present, no insect has ever caused any
extensive injury to this crop. It is true that ants do sometimes destroy
a few hills on certain soils, by sucking the cotyledons of the plant
before it has attained any considerable size and strength. But this is,
by no means, general. Even the voracious and ubiquitous Colorado Beetle
manifests no taste for this plant, although it has had abundant
opportunity to test its edible qualities. To the credit of insects
generally, be it said, they are not omnivorous.

=Effects of Cold.=--The effect of severe and prolonged cold on the
Peanut plant in the early part of the season, is often quite manifest.
Cool nights and cold rains are much dreaded, they cause the plants to
turn yellow and look sickly. The vines make little or no growth, the
leaves become spotted and curled, as if they had been touched by fire,
and the whole plant gets into that unthrifty looking state denominated,
in the local parlance of the planter, "the pouts." But let a few days of
warm sun occur, and all is speedily changed. The plants assume a fresh
and lively green, and their growth is now rapid until they reach
maturity.

=Effects of Drouth.=--A very dry spring would cause the Peanut to come
up badly, and would, therefore, seriously affect the crop. Such an
occurrence, however, is very rare in Virginia, as well as in the c