PEANUT 



POTATO 



519 



rich in these constituents as the kernels of cotton 

 seed and the vines are nearly as valuable as a fertil- 

 izer as are those of cowpeas. Prom the analyses 

 it will be seen that the hulls are comparatively 

 poor, while the meal or cake is rather rich, being 

 nearly equal to cottonseed meal as a fertilizer: 



This implies that peanuts can be grown in the 

 Orient and shipped across the Pacific more cheaply 

 than they can be produced at home. The nuts can 

 be produced as successfully in parts of California, 

 however, as in eastern United States, and this con- 

 dition may some day be changed. 



Fertilizing Constituents in Different Parts op the Peanut Plant. 



Water 



In the fresh or air-dry substance 



Nitrogen 



Phosphoric 

 acid 



Potash 



Lime 



Total ash 



Peanut kernels . . 

 Peanut vines (cured) 

 Peanut hulls . . . ' 

 Peanut cake (meal) 



Per cent 



6.30 



7.83 



10.60 



10.40 



Per cent 

 4.51 

 1.76 

 1.14 

 7.56 



Per cent 

 1.24 

 0.29 

 0.17 

 1.31 



Per cent 

 1.27 

 0.98 

 0.95 

 1.50 



Per cent 



0.13 

 2.08 

 0.81 

 0.16 



Per cent 



3.20 



15.70 



3.00 



8.97 



Importations. 



Notwithstanding the magnitude of the crop 

 grown in the United States, a very considerable 

 quantity of peanuts is annually imported. The 



Fig. 741. Potato spray and blossoms. Detail shows a diagram 

 plan of flower (dotted lines showing position of sepals), 

 and a vertical section. 



Atlantic coast ports report an importation of pea- 

 nuts during 1904 amounting in value to $65,161, 

 chiefly from Spain, while the Pacific coast ports 

 report for the same year an importation valued at 

 $87,441, chiefly from Japan and China. This gives 

 a total of $152,602 sent abroad for a product which 

 might easily be produced at home. The interesting 

 fact in connection with the peanut supply for various 

 sections of the country is that none of the nuts 

 produced either in the Atlantic or Gulf coast states 

 reach the Paciflc coast markets, these markets being 

 supplied almost exclusively from Japan and China. 



lAterature. 



Wm. N. Roper, The Peanut and Its Culture ; 

 B. "W. Jones, The Peanut Plant ; R. B. Handy, Pea- 

 nuts — Culture and Uses, Farmers' Bulletin No. 25, 

 United States Department of Agriculture ; C. L. 

 Newman, Peanuts, Bulletin No. 84, Arkansas Agri^ 

 cultural Experiment Station. 



POTATO. Solanum tuberosum, Linn. Solanacew, 

 (Irish, English, Round, White Potato.) Pigs 

 741-762. 



By S. Fraser. 



A farm crop grown for its tubers, which ar* 

 used largely for human food and for stock-food, 

 and for the manufacture of starch and alcohol.- 

 The genus Solanum comprises perhaps 1000 spe- 

 cies, in many parts of the world. Some twenty of 

 the described species are more or less tuber-bear- 

 ing, but J. G. Baker (Journal Linnaeus Society, XX) 

 considers that only six of these "possess, a fair 

 claim to be considered as distinct species in a broad 

 sense." These six are Solanum tuberosum, S. Maglia, 

 S. Commersoni, S. eardiophyllum, S. Jamesii, S. oxy- 

 carpum. Of these, only S. tuberosum is known agri- 

 cuturally. It is possible, however, that S. Maglia 

 (the Darwin potato) and S. Commersoni (Pig. 103) 

 possess value for the cultivator, either directly or 

 hybridized with the common potato. S. Commer- 

 soni is now receiving- considerable attention in 

 Europe. It is native in Uruguay and Argentina 

 "in rocky and arid situations 

 at a low level." S. Maglia is 

 native in the coast regions of 

 Chile, while S. tuberosum occurs 

 natively ill the hill country of 

 the interior of Chile and Peru. 

 Forms of S, tuberosum occur in 

 Mexico, and one of them (var. 

 boreale) is native as far north ■ 

 as southern Colorado. 



The potato is perennial by 

 means of its tubers. Its smooth, generally solid, 

 more or less quadrangular stems attain a height of 

 two to five or more. feet. The stems bear com- 

 pound leaves of oval leaflets and small intermedi- 



Flg. 742. 

 Sprouts arising from 

 the buds, or eyes, 

 of a potaxo tuber. 



