ARACHIS HYPOG^A (pEA-NUT) 53 



may be seen emerging from the soil, and subsequently 

 .several darh-green leaves are formed. Later on the branches 

 develop, and thirty to forty days after sprouting flowering 

 begins; it continues till growth is at an end. 



Two and a half to three months after sowing the pea- 

 nut is in full growth, and five months later the crop may 

 be gathered. If sowing is in November, the month which 

 in some countries marks the beginning of the vegetative 

 check, harvest is in May. A double crop is feasible, but 

 the second would probably be seriously endangered by 

 excessive drought. Besides, it is never good to repeat the 

 same crop ; it is much more advisable to change about with 

 other useful plants, such as the potato, for instance. 



By the time the pea-nut has reached maturity, the plant 

 has alreadv begun to shrivel and a portion of the leaves 

 has fallen ; very frequently the stems are still green when 

 the leaves are quite shrivelled. The seeds are not as yet 

 mature. The stalks should be allowed to wither, the ripe 

 pods can remain in the ground without harm. The only 

 point is that, in this case, the cost of labour is increased, 

 for the fruit needs digging up to be gathered ; the best plan 

 is not to wait until all the peduncles have become severed 

 from the stalks, as when the plant is uprooted, with its stalk 

 still green, the majoritv of the pods come awa}' at the same 

 time. It is true that a number of immature pods can be 

 detected when this is done, but the resulting loss is balanced 

 by the saving of labour. 



Immature pods left in the ground will rot, while those 

 which have reached maturity will keep, and will sprout the 

 following year to form new plants. 



The harvesting of a crop of pea-nut can be very expen- 

 sive when grown on a large scale, and the result of the 

 harvest may scarcely cover expenses ; only natives, who 

 do all the work themselves, with help from their wives and 

 children, deriving any profit. But as a subsidiary or inter- 

 calary crop it is always worth growing. 



Gathering is done either by hand or with implements 



