GROUND-NUT, Earth-nut ; Japan, China, pulse.
13hooi mung, . . Manl-manotl, . . . SP.
Mung phalli, . Canahueto, . . . „ l'indar nut, . • Ver kadalc, . • . TAM.
Manilla nut, . . „ Veru shanagalu„ Tnc. Bhoyeing, . GUJ., HIND.
The ground - nut is the fruit of the Arachis hypogea. The plant has somewhat the appearance of the dwarf garden pea, though more bushy. It is cultivated in the S. of Europe, largely in America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Archipelago, and is named frorn the circumstance of its introducing its fruit or pod into the earth, for the purpose of ripen ing its seed. The flowers, leaves, and atems are pro duced in the ordinary manner seen in the pea tribe. When the yellow flower has withered and the seed fertilized, there is nothing left but the bare stem which had supported it. This stem, in which is the germ of the future fruit and pod, now grows rapidly in a curved manner, with a tendency to arrive shortly on the stulace of the ground, into which the now naked stem penetrates several inches. In this obscure position the fruit takes its ripened fortn, and is either gathered from its hiding-place, or left to the future Bell.SOU, when its tirue of rising into new existence calls it front its natural position. When mature, it is of a pale yellow colour, wrinkled, and forms an oblong pod, sometimes contracted in the middle ; it contains generally two seeds, a valuable article of food in the tropical parts of Afrie,a, America, and Asia. They are sweetish and almond-like, and yield an oil when pressed, not inferior iu quality to that obtained from the olive. The leaf resembles that of clover, and, like it, affords excellent food for cattle. The cake, after the oil is expressed, forms an excellent manure. The Arachis seeds are usually sown in the dry, warm weather front May to June, and are placed at the distance of eighteen inches from each other. Insects are fond of them ; and if the season is cold and unfavourable to them, or the growth retarded, they become musty and bad, or are eaten by insects. In some parts of America it yields from 30 to 80 bushels of nuts per acre. On
the western coast of Africa it is planted to a. great extent. Iti South Carolina the seed is roasted and used as chocolate. The leaves are used medicinally ; it is greedily devoured iu the green state by cattle. Two varietie,s are grown in 3Ialacc.a, the white seed and the brown seed ; and also in Java, in the vicinity of sugar plantations, the oil-cake being used as manure. It is there known as Katiang. The seeds are consumed as a cheap popular luxury, being half roasted, and then eaten with salt.
Ground-Nut Oil, Manilla nut oil. This valuable oil is obtained by expremion from the ground-nut, and, under favourable circumsta.nces, the Arachis will produce half its weight of oil. When heated and pressed, the quantity is very considerably increased. This oil is good for every purpose for which olive or almond oil is used. For domestic purposes it is esteemed, and it does not become rancid so quickly as other oils. In lamps, the brilliancy of its light is superior to that of olive oil, aud its durability is seven minutes per hour beyond the combustion of the best olive oil, with the additional advantage of scarcely any stnoke. Under the term ground nut oil, or Manilla oil, there was exported from the Madras Presidency, in the four years 1852-53 to 1855-50, chiefly to the United Kingdom, Boni bay, and the Indian French ports, to the amount of 334,021 gallons, valued at Rs. 2,12,896. 1950 parts of seed, separated from their coverings and blanched, give 1405 of kernels, from which, by cold pressure, 703 parts of oil are procured. For machinery the naval steam cruisers on the African coast adopt it. Ground-nuts from the river Gam bia and from Sierra Leone, at 2,10 per ton, sell in London at 211. From France the oil finds its way over the world in the shape of olive oil,—the skill of the French chemists enabling them to imitate the real Lucca and Florence oils, so as to deceive the nicest judges.—E.ng. Cyc. • Ed. Phil. Mag.; Simmonds; Jury Rep. Iliad. ; Useful Plants ; O'Sh.