78 crops 



edges of sugarcane and betel vine and other garden crops. 

 It is generally sown in fields in lines. 



Seed-rate— 10 to 20 lb. per acre. 



Volume weight— 1 M.M. weighs 2'87 lb. 



Weight of seed— 1,000 seeds weigh 346*71 grammes. 



Number of seeds in 1 lb.— 1,308. 



Germination capacity— 80 per cent. 



Yield— 200 to 300 lb. as dry crop in poor lands, up to 700 

 lb. in more favourable surroundings. 



Percentage of oil— 46, but ordinary extraction gives 36. 

 The cake is an excellent manure. 



GROUNDNUT. 



(Arachis hypogea.) 



Tamil Verkadalai : Nilak- 



kadalai. 



Telugu ... . ... Vershanagalu : Nela- 



shanagalii. 



Kanarese • ... Nilakkadala. 



Tulu Nilakkadale. 



Area in Madras — 1,455,800 acres, 



The Mauritius variety Has practically displaced the old 

 local variety ; other varieties may be seen on trial at the 

 Palur Agricultural station. 



The crop suits sandy soils, and is either sown as a dry 

 rain-fed crop, when it is mixed with some cereal, or raised 

 under irrigation mixed with ragi. 



Rain-fed crop :- -June- July to December- January. Irri- 

 gated crop : February-March to July- August. The crop is 

 very profitable, and its area has increased rapidly in the last 

 few years. 



Seed-rate— 50 to 75 lb. good shelled seed. 



Volume weight — 1 Madras measure of unshelled nuts 

 weighs If lb. 1 Madras measure of shelled nuts weighs 2£ lb. 

 1 Madras measure of oil is 3£ lb. 



Weight of seed — 100 seeds weigh 43 grammes. 



Number of seeds in 1 lb— 1,000. 



Yield — Dry average 1,300 lb. per acre. Irrigated crop as 

 much as 2,500 lb. 



Percentage of oil — As extracted by country mill is 36 

 to 40, actual contents up to 50 per cent. 



Proportion of shell to kernels — 25 per cent by weight, 

 being a little higher in the case of dry rain-fed crop. 



