THE GARDEN 77 



almost any soil, and endures much water. A great 

 many are eaten in the Philippines, and some are ex- 

 ported to China. Cagyos, whose Latin name is Cajanus 

 Indie us, is an erect plant, sometimes 2 meters high ; it 

 produces its fruit about February, when other legumes 

 are least abundant. Sitao and 

 batao are Manila names of climb- 

 ing legumes; batao has an es- 

 pecially fine flavor. 



The Peanut. The peanut, Ar- 

 achis hypogaea, called mani in the 

 Philippines, is valuable both as a 

 garden and as a field crop. It is 

 a native of Brazil, but is culti- 

 vated in all tropical lands. The 

 stem and leaves are good fodder 

 for beasts, and the seeds are valu- 

 able as food and as a source of oil. 

 The oil is used to make soap, to 

 adulterate cacao, and in other ways. 



Conditions of Growth. The peanut grows in the tropics, 

 and in temperate countries where there are four months 

 of hot summer without cold nights. It can endure con- 

 siderable dryness, and will grow in any soil which is not 

 very wet or heavy. If it is grown for the oil, light colored 

 soils are best, because the nuts and oil are there lighter 

 colored ; and light oil sells at a better price than dark. 

 On a soil poor in lime but little fruit is produced. 



In the tropics the seeds sometimes contain 50 per 



