Edible Prockicts- 



216 



Finally as to finances. A comprehensive scheme such as could be outlined and 

 carried through along lines herein proposed would present such manifest advantages 

 and economies over methods now in vogue— as would with proper guarantees from 

 the growers— bring out all the financial assistance necessary to inaugurate and per- 

 fect the sytem. 



I present this outline from my view point in the hope that it may assist in 

 bringing about a more desirable state of affairs than existing conditions promise for 

 one of our "minor' industries. What profits an industry if it supplies the entire 

 market demand for its product and reap no reward except an, occasional "Irish" 

 dividend ? 



— John Emmeluth in the Hawaiian Forester and Agriculturist- 



[Co-operation is producing w 7 onderful results in agriculture in Europe and 

 America, though England itself has as yet held largely aloof from it. To such an 

 extent has it gone in France, that at St. Malo there is now even a Co-operative 

 " Mistletoery " to which the farmers' children bring in all the mistletoe they can 

 collect in the neighbourhood, and this institution in 1904 shipped to London no less 

 than 750 tons of .mistletoe, of course obtaining the benefit of the cheap freights 

 possible on large quantities, and rendering useless any attempt on the part of the 

 non-co-operative British farmer to compete with the pound or two to be found on 

 his own farm.— Ed. T.A. & Mag. C. A . S.] 



PEA NUTS OR GROUND NUTS. 



We have frequently given information in the Journal concerning the 

 value of pea or ground nuts as a farm crop; but, for the benefit of our 

 numerous new subscribers, we once more revert to the subject. The plant is 

 very productive, and yields a very quick return, being from six to eight 

 months in the ground, and is one of the hardiest and most valuable of the 

 productions of husbandry. It thrives in a light sandy soil, and is usually grown 

 in ordinary, dry, arable lands; indeed, it will thrive tolerably well in such 

 indifferent soils as are unfit for the growth of almost any other production. 

 The colour of the pods always partakes of the colour of the soil they are produced 

 in, and this is a most important point to remember, because the brightest 

 pods always bring the most money ; therefore a light-grey soil is always to be 

 preferred. When the nuts are raised from such soil, they are perfectly clean 

 and bright-coloured, no particle of soil adhering to them. This is not the case 

 with black or red or chocolate coloured soils. These leave a stain on the 

 pods, which cannot be got rid of even by washing, and these stained pods 

 never fetch so high a price in the market, although the contained kernel may 

 be as good as those in the light-coloured pods. Our sandy scrub soils are, 

 therefore, especially well suited for the cultivation of the most marketable 

 peanuts. Many of our sandy, loamy, forest lands will produce very heavy 

 crops, if the land is previously well prepared and reduced to a fine tilth. 

 Peanuts may follow any hoed crop with advantage, except sweet potatoes. 

 Corn land is to be preferred. Another point is that they do best on calcar- 

 eous soil. If lime is not actually naturally present in the soil it must be 

 supplied with no sparing hand. 



As to the preparation of the soil and after cultivation, the land should 

 be prepared as for potatoes, except that shallower ploughing is needed— say 

 from four to five inches. The object of this shallow ploughing is to secure a 

 firm bed on which the nuts may rest. If the* ploughing is too deep, the result 



