FOOD FROM FIELD ROOTS AND TUBERS 345 



good purpose, but more, of course, may be fed with benefit 

 if available. For later feeding, especially to swine that are 

 being fattened, they are frequently cooked by steaming 

 along with meal, and when so prepared, the mixture is fed 

 as a mash. Rejected squash with the hardest rinds may thus 

 be turned to good account. 



By horses, although some kinds of squash are eaten, 

 in the nature of things they are not likely to be much used 

 for such feeding. Relatively they are usually more valuable 

 to feed to swine or to caws giving milk. 



Peanuts. This tuber has been grown chiefly to provide 

 rood for man, in the United States, but during recent years, 

 they are also grown for live stock, more especially for 

 swine, which harvest the crop in the fields where they grew. 

 The tops also furnish hay that is much relished by live 

 stock. The peanut crop may be grown successfully as far 

 north as parallel 43, where the soil conditions are suitable, 

 but it has centered heretofore in the light soils of the At- 

 lantic and Gulf states. That more food for swine may be 

 grown from an acre of peanuts on the light soils of the 

 South than from an acre of corn, is generally conceded by 

 those who are conversant with the conditions for growing 

 the two crops. With skillful cultivation, as many as 50 

 bushels of peanuts per acre may be grown on soils of only 

 moderate fertility, weighing from 22 to 28 pounds per 

 bushel. The nuts furnish one of the richest protein foods 

 for live stock that is grown in this country. After the oil 

 has been expressed, the cake resulting is fully equal to oil 

 cake (see p. 306). The hulls also, when ground, furnish a 

 valuable food. (See p. 346.) 



For cattle, the nuts are not much used as food, for 

 the reason that unless stained or otherwise injured for 

 sale, they are too valuable for such feeding. In some 

 instances, however, more or less of the nuts adhere to 

 the vines which are fed as hay, dependent upon the mode of 

 harvesting. If the vines are not removed before the crop is 

 harvested, the rejected peanuts are sometimes fed as hay 



