546 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



as Washington, D.C., and the Yokohama bean (Stizo- 

 lobium hassjoo) from Japan, the earliest and least vigorous 

 of all the species, readily maturing its seeds as far north as 

 Maryland and Kansas. Unfortunately the pods shatter 

 quite readily and also rot where they lie in contact with 

 the ground. 



The most desirable type of the velvet bean would be 

 one that is comparatively early, and relatively bushy in 

 type, whose seeds would not shatter, and whose pods would 

 not rot when lying in contact with the wet ground. At 

 the Florida Experiment Station, hybrids have been made 

 between the Florida velvet bean and the Lyon bean, 

 which have given rise to numerous forms. From these, 

 it seems very probable that much improved varieties 

 will be. secured, even if the ideal is not reached. Many 

 of these hybrids resemble in some of their characteristics 

 other species, and it is possible that all the species of culti- 

 vated stizolobiums are forms of a single species. 



OTHER CROPS 



665. Peanut (Arachis hypogcea). The peanut is in 

 all probability a native of South America. It is also 

 known as ground nut, earth nut, goober, and pindar. 

 The plant is cultivated primarily for its seeds for use as 

 human food, but the herbage is nearly always saved for 

 hay, and sometimes the whole crop is utilized by pasturing 

 to hogs. 



The peanut is adapted only .to regions with long hot 

 summers. In the United States it succeeds best south 

 of 36. The plant does well both on sandy and clay 

 soils, but as the young pods must burrow into the ground 

 to develop, peanuts are rarely planted except on sandy or 

 silty soils. The principal producing states were, in order 



