206 PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL BOTANY 



from the soil by hand. After the peanut vines are loosened from the 

 soil, they are allowed to remain on the ground for three, or four hours, 

 when they are put in small stacks around a central stake to cure. After 

 the peanuts have cured in the stacks from four to six weeks, those intended 

 for feeding stock may be placed in barns. Peanuts for market should be 

 cured in the stack at least three, or four weeks before picking. They 

 should not be picked from the vines until the pods have become dry and 

 the peanuts firm and nutty, when they are picked by hand. Machines 

 have lately been used for picking. After picking, the peanuts should be 

 kept dry and never exposed to wet conditions, as the shells invariably 

 become discolored. The nuts are prepared for market by the removal of 

 all dirt and the separation of nuts into their respective grades. 



Nutritive Value. The peanut is a valuable human food and is sold in 

 large quantities either roasted in the shell at so much per pound, or bag, 

 or shelled and salted in the penny slot machine. Peanut candies and brittle 

 also consume considerable quantities of the hulled seeds, and the manu- 

 facture of peanut butter and peanut meal an additional amount. Ameri- 

 cans are only beginning to learn what may be done with this valuable 

 plant, as a source of human food. There has arisen during recent years a 

 demand for peanut oil for edible purposes, either as a dressing for salads 

 or in the manufacture of oleomargarine, or in the packing of sardines 

 Low grade oils are used in the manufacture of soap. Peanut hay contains 

 11.75 per cent, of protein, 46.95 per cent, of carbohydrates and 1.84 per 

 cent, of fat. The peanut is a valuable feed for use in preparing hogs for 

 market. Peanut vines are used for feeding stock and yield a very 

 desirable class of forage. 



MISCELLANEOUS LEGUMINOUS FORAGE PLANTS 



The activity of the United States Department of Agriculture especially 

 the Bureau of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction has resulted in the 

 introduction, trial and establishment of a number of additional plants of 

 the leguminous family. A detailed account of these would enlarge uaduly 

 the size of this book, and hence only a brief reference to these plants will 

 be made. Of the beans belonging to the genus Phaseolus, we have the 

 kidney, or haricot bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) a native American plant, 

 whose use was learned from the Indians. Large quantities of this bean are 

 consumed as human food. The Lima bean is P. lunatus. It is likewise 



