75 



PEA-NUT OR PINDAR-NUT. 



(Arachis hypogaea, Linn). 



Description. — A prostrate annual herb, belonging to the Pea Family 

 (Leguminosw) with pinnate leaves and yellow flowers. When the pod 

 begins to form, the stalk curves over and buries the pod in the ground, 

 where it ripens. It is naturalised or wild in all tropical countries. 

 More than 100,000 acres are devoted to the cultivation of this plant in 

 India and immense tracts in West Africa. 



Soil. — A sandy soil with certain quantity of lime makes the best 

 soil. Marl is one of the forms of lime which suits well, but there must 

 be sufficient sandy material to make the soil porous. Clayey land will 

 produce good crops, if it is thoroughly well dug up and cultivated, but 

 the pods are not of such good colour. It is well to choose land that is 

 thoroughly clean from previous cultivation. 



Analysis — The percentage analysis of the ash of the Pea-nut is given 

 by Prof. Cornwall as follows : — 



Silica ... 1.06 



Potash 



Soda 



Lime 



Magnesia 



Phosphoric Acid 



Sulphuric Acid 



Chlorine 



44.73 

 14.60 

 1.71 

 12.65 

 17.64 

 2.53 

 0.15 



95.07 



Seed. — It is necessary to sow good seed, and in order to test it, a hun- 

 dred seeds should be picked out at random and sown. From the num- 

 ber that germinate, it can be calculated what is the probable percentage 

 of good seed. 



In breaking open the pods, care must be taken not to bruise the ker- 

 nel, and all shrivelled and dark-ooloured kernels should be rejected. 

 After shelling, the seed should be kept for sowing in small parcels only, 

 as large quantities together terment and lose their power of germin- 

 ation. A bushel to a bushel and a half of pea-nuts in pod are sufficient 

 to plant one acre. 



Planting. — The time for planting is before the rainy season. In 

 west Africa where it is grown on a large scale sowing takes place in 

 October ; the first crop of nuts for eating green is ready about April, 

 but they are not ripe till 9 months after sowing, or about July or 

 August. In the southern United States, planting takes place in April. 



The land should be ploughed and harrowed, more than once if necessary, 

 until a fine mellow seed bed is prepared ; but cultivated on a small scale, 

 it is frequently only hoed. 



In the United States it generally follows some such crop as corn, cot- 

 ton, or tobacco, so as to get a soil that has been well hoed, and is quite 

 clean without roots, stones, bush, or any rubbish. 



The seed should be sown a foot or 15 inches apart, in rows 3 feet 

 asunder, in hills slightly raised above the surface. One inch deep for 

 the seed is enough in moist soil, one and a half inches in dry soil. 



