179 
Annual yeild of the United States Department of Agriculture, 
bi Pee “It is possible that the farther south the nut is grown 
furnishes 25 to 27 per cent. The quantity of oil in the Yogese 
growth is less than that of Algiers.” The last is in the 
edition of Semler’s T’ropische Agrifultur, ii., 1899 [dated 19001, 
p. 457, where we read :—“ Like castor-oil see s, ground-nuts are 
richer in oil the more tropical the climate under which they are 
cultivated. West African nuts from near the equator contain 
50-55 per cent. of om North American only 25-27 per cent., and 
at times only 20 per cent.’ Despite the ate bearing of 
suc 5 erating: we have been unable to find trustworthy 
analyses which can be nid goed in support ot it. ose which 
have been given above emphasise racial differences rather than 
variations due to the available solar energy. The contention is, 
however, plausible pee . nd may be illustrated by age dam 
forward the relative poorn in oil which makes nuts fro 
ra and the more qigthorn ‘States to be arte “for jatig 
r those from Georgia, Tennessee, Florida 
‘Prd ceeding to the effect of the "soil upon ie plant, there is 
indication that the oil-contents of the seed fall short in poor soi 
Subba rab pictnlnie Dept. Land Records and Agric., Madras, 1893, 
p. 280) says the seeds from soil new to the crop are richer than those 
rei riage sites, and from red sandy loams richer than those from 
clays. Seed produced on unirrigated land is richer in oil than 
that produced under irrigation 
We have to notice next that the pods take upon them the 
colour of the earth in which they are buried ; red earths produce 
red pods, and the first ripe pods of a crop are deeper in colour at 
harves i i 
SW. e 
on certain dark soils (‘ tai-mannu 
(Subba Rao, in Bulletin, Dept. Land Records and Agric., Madras, 
p- 263). ant of lime causes empty satin Rich nitrogenous 
aan promote growth of the vegetative parts, but, so it is said, 
do not stimulate seed formation 
Soft earth is desired for the burying of the seed, ola the 
practice of earthing-up, done we are told as often as 4-7 times in 
pain, is an aid to this end. On hard soils the pods die chanel 
they fail to penetrate the surface. 
The vigour, yield and colour of the seed are thus aftected by 
the soil, and ‘it is further said that an erect habit is at times 
produ ced by the soil (Watt, Agric. py abe 1893, No. 15, p. 9). 
The oil-contents of _— ge appear to be eased or diminished 
according to the amo of heat peas. ‘c the plant, but the 
statements by vari aa pais are too contradictory to allow an 
unqualified statement. 
USES. 
Chief and foremost amongst the uses to which this plant is put 
must be placed its yield of oil. The trade ee ee the tropics 
urope, by which India and Africa the seeds they 
canitdoe into modern oil mills in France, Gavindtit, England, &c., 
