181 
primitive mills of China, Java,and India leave serves as a manure 
in these countries. 
he hay is rich in feeding stuffs, as analyses shew (see 
Uhlitzsch in Die landwirtschaftichen Wersuchs-Stationen, xli., 
p. 388, and U.S. Dept. Agric., Farmer's Bult., ee 20, p. 5). Tt 
is made use of in Asia toa small extent, and o a larger scale in 
the Eastern United States. Here, too, after the Varveat't is gathered 
hogs are turned on to the land, and grub up pods which have 
not been collected. 
As a green manure for the re roerty has been ae a 
for it adds when ploughed i only the materials dra 
directly from the soil, but also ‘the fake food stuffs taken from the 
air, inating the nitrogen which the root tubercles acquire. 
CHEMISTRY OF THE SEED. 
Analyses of the seed shew, as already stated, a richness in oil 
which bierinae considerably. This oil is a non- -drying oil, becoming 
turbid at + 3° C., and congealing at — 3° C. It consists of the 
elyceridos of four fatty acids, viz.:—olein, arachin, hypogezin, 
palmitin 
The similarity of ground- nut oil to olive oil is apparent when 
we sae Pa that the main constituents of both are olein and 
palm 
Starch, is present to a small amount. 
Albuminoid matter is more abundant, and cane sugar has been 
detected (Schulze & Frankfurt in Zeitschr. Siir physiolog. Chemie, 
: SLL.) 
s, starch, and albuminoids when found in seeds are reserves 
for the use of the young plan are absorbed in germinatio 
mmedi ys starts Sige n of roducts com- 
men e chemistry of d is co b re 
We cannot record observations made directly on Arachis 
hypogeda, bnt analogy indicates that oleic, arachic, hypogzic, 
and palmitic acids appear in the seed when germination has 
odiidiniation ‘d. 
The same acidifying process is produced by fungi, and as these 
readily attack the seed rancidity is developed when they are 
present. 
It is well known that seeds of many planis cannot be induced 
to germinate ae they have passed a certain period of quiescence. 
This is not with Arachis hypogea, At any er a small 
amount of inioicaire is sufficient to start the process ; so readily is 
it induced that occasionally in India germination marks before the 
pisdug. Germination started and then checked results in the 
death of the seed. Such a dead and partly germinated seed 
re rancid oi 
A similar amount of Wibiatare will favour the growth of moulds 
asioapolail. Penicillium, &c.—and these finding entrance into 
the tissues of the seas ‘by bruised places add to the acidity. 
Unfortunately Indian nuts shelled by being beaten and thus 
