EARTH OR GROUND NUT. 175 



he had often eaten of them plentifully, and 

 with pleasure, and never found that effect. 

 They may be eaten raw, roasted, or boiled. 

 The oil drawn from them by expression is as 

 good as oil of almonds ; and the nut beaten 

 and applied as a poultice, takes away the 

 sting of scorpions, wasps, or bees. 



These plants were first brought from 

 Africa to the West India islands. In south- 

 ern climates vast crops of these nuts are 

 said to be produced from light, sandy, and 

 indifferent soils. 



Dr. Brownrigg, of North Carolina, trans- 

 mitted some account of the value of these 

 nuts to the Royal Society. From a quantity 

 of them, first bruised, and put into canvass 

 bags, he expressed a pure, clear, well-tasted 

 oil, useful for the same purposes as the oil of 

 olive or almonds. 



From specimens, both of the seeds and oil, 

 produced before the Society, it appeared, 

 that neither of them were subject to turn 

 rancid by keeping. The oil, in particular, 

 which had been sent from Carolina eight 

 months before, without any extraordinary 

 care, and had undergone the heat of the 

 summer, remained perfectly sweet and good. 



A bushel of them yielded (in Carolina), 



