Arachis. Erdnus.

No. 1054. - The Pea-nut is an annual plant, a native of Central America and Africa. The stem, when full grown, is about fourteen inches in height. The leaves are primate, with four leaflets, and a leafy, emarginate appendage at the base of the petals. The fruit or pod is of an oblong form, often contracted at the middle, but sometimes of bottle form, reticulated, and of a yellowish color. The kernels, of which the pod contains from one to three, are oblong, quite white, and are enclosed in a thin brown skin or pellicule. A remarkable peculiarity of this plant is that the lower blossoms alone produce the fruit. After the decay of the petals the ovaries insinuate themselves into the ground, beneath which at a depth of several inches, the fruit is afterwards perfected. They are eaten roasted, and are used by confectioners, and for culinary purposes as a substitute for almonds.

Culture

No. 1055. - The Pea-nut succeeds well only in warm climates. Plant them as early as the weather becomes suitable, in a warm, light, loamy soil, deeply ploughed and pulverized, in rows a foot apart. In planting, the Pea-nut should be unbroken in the pod, and as soon as the flower appears the vines are earthed up from time to time, so as to keep them chiefly within the ground.

African Pea-Nut

No. 1056. - A comparatively small, smooth, and regularly formed sort. The shell is thin, usually enclosing two kernels.

Wilmington Pea-Nut

No. 1057. - Similar to the African. The pods, however, are longer, and the shell thicker and paler. They enclose two or three kernels. They are cultivated largely in the Southern States.

Tennessee Pea-Nut

No. 1058. - The pods are large, thick, and irregular in form, and usually contain two kernels. This variety is less esteemed than the others.