115 
The former subject has been so comprehensively treated by 
the late Mrs, Anna S. Pettit in an illustrated paper (Mem. Torr. 
Club, 4: 275), that pony an abstract of it will be here presented. 
one 
escaped therefrom. The others share in its avis ene but 
ilize 
For the reason above stated, the native place of the peanut or 
ground-nut is in some doubt. Only a few writers have taken 
the view that it originated outside of tropical America, and their 
view appears disproven by the earliest recorded occurrence of the 
article in the ancient tombs at Ancon, Peru, where it must have 
cultivation, namely, sandy plains in the vicinity of water courses. 
It shows but little tendency toward variation. 
e plant is a member of ‘the Pea Family (Papilionaceae) and 
foliage 
position in the amily is ent “appare nt. 
Upon germinating it cree a tap-root downward anda aneee 
Upon th 
to ect. fe) 
however, never develops any absorbing root-hairs, and it quickly 
undergoes induration and other changes by which its absorbing 
powers are apparently lost. 
The aérial shoot continues to grow erect throughout the life of 
the plant, and never produces any flowers, but from near its base 
prostrate branches are thrown out which flower rather near to 
