MISCELLANEOUS CROPS 629 



also blanched and salted peanuts. A heavy yielder and matures in 

 about 120 days. 



African, or North Carolina. A variety that is much grown in 

 Africa for oil production. A very rank grower, the stems spreading 

 over the ground. Foliage dark green and massive. Pods form along 

 the stems similar to the Virginia Runner. The pod is of medium size 

 and generally contains two peas, sometimes three. Rich in oil and of 

 excellent flavor. This variety requires a long season for its develop- 

 ment and should be planted quite early. 



Varieties for Marketing. For vending purposes, where the peas 

 are roasted and sold from the fruit stands, the large-podded varieties, 

 including Virginia Bunch and Virginia Runner, are in greatest de- 

 mand, although considerable quantities of Spanish and North Caro- 

 lina are used for this purpose. For shelled peas the smaller nuts of 

 the large-podded stock are employed ; also the greater part of the crop 

 of Spanish, North Carolina, and Tennessee Red varieties. A large 

 percentage of the shelled stock is of the Spanish variety. 



Varieties for Stock Feeding. When peanuts are grown exclus- 

 ively for feeding purposes the Spanish is undoubtedly to be preferred. 

 If it is desired to market the high-grade portion of the crop and feed 

 the remainder, the question of variety to be grown will depend largely 

 upon locality. Many growers throughout the peanut area follow the 

 practice of planting several acres of Spanish peanuts and disposing of 

 all of the better-grade peas to some factory for shelling purposes, the 

 vines and poorly filled pods being fed to farm animals. The Spanish 

 peanut can be grown under a much broader range of conditions than 

 the large-podded sorts and should be employed where the season is 

 short. 



This variety also produces a heavy yield of vine and is desirable 

 for forage purposes. The Valencia is very similar to the Spanish 

 variety in habit of growth, is desirable for stock feeding, and is rap- 

 idly finding a place in all branches of the market with the exception 

 of the retail trade in roasted peanuts. 



The Uses of the Peanut. To most persons the peanut suggests 

 only the article as it appears for sale whole or shelled and salted, but 

 during recent years the uses of peanuts have become numerous, and 

 include a wide range of utility. The demand for peanuts for use in 

 the manufacture of food preparations is constantly increasing. By- 

 products of the peanut are now being employed extensively in the 

 manufacture of feeds for farm stock and dairy cows, and the plant is 

 being largely utilized as forage and as a soil renovator. 



Important Uses for Human Food. Among the more important 

 uses of the peanut for human food are the following : It is eaten from 

 the shell, as salted shelled peas, as blanched peas, in the so-called pea- 

 nut candies and brittle, in combination with pop corn and puffed rice, 

 in the form of peanut butter, and as an ingredient of peanut and 

 vegetable meats, peanut meal, and salad oils. 



The use of the peanut for eating from the shell when roasted is 

 most important and popular, but the quantity of shelled peas that are 

 first roasted and then salted and sold by the pound is constantly 



