The kernels of Hyphcene crinita and Raphia Hookeri have been imported as substitutes, but unsuccessfully. Those also of Sagus arnaricum have been largely received from the Friendly Islands. It is probably this plant which is so abundant in the Solomon Islands of the S. Pacific, though the fruits are called " corosso-nuts " An ivory-nut palm belonging to a new species of Phytelephas is a native of Venezuela, and has been provisionally called P. orinocensis. The nut is like that of P. macrocarpa; but the plant, called timiti by the natives, has an erect trunk 8-10 ft. high. It may lead to ivory-nuts being exported from Bolivar and Trinidad.
Giukgo-nut.—This is the seed of Salisburia adiantifolia, which Is largely cultivated in China and Japan. The seeds are eaten, and yield an oil.
or nut, called also earth-nut, monkey-nut, Manilla nut, and minyak-katjang or katchang-tanak (in Java, &c.), is the produce of Arachis hypogcea. The plant is extensively cultivated in all tropical and subtropical countries, especially India, the Malay Archi pelago, China, Africa, and America. It might with great benefit be introduced into Australia. In W. Africa, it is cultivated in greatest abundance at a few miles inland, where the comparatively arid country is succeeded by better land and climate. It requires a good soil, and is therefore chiefly grown in the bottoms of valleys, or near rivers and marshes. The cultivation is exceedingly simple : the ground is cleared of weeds, &c., which are burnt, and after being hoed a few inches deep, the seeds are dropped in and covered over. Sowing takes place at the beginning of the rainy season, October–November ; 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–August. The greater part of the crop of Angola and the Congo is grown in the Mbamba country, parallel with the coast, and 30-80 miles inland. The Indian-grown nuts are chiefly used locally as food, while some oil is obtained from them, mostly for adulterating other oils. Recent figures state the area occupied by it in India at 112,000 acres, and this is capable of very great extension. In Java, the nut is planted in high grounds, that are unfit for wet rice cultivation ; after extraction of the oil, the refuse is used as manure. In Senegal and on the Gambia river, these nuts form a staple production, Cayor and Casamanco furnishing the largest quantities. The American crop for 1880 was estimated as follows :—Virginia, 1,600,000 bush. ; Tennessee, 1,100,000: N. Carolina, 120,000 ; total, 2,820,000 bush. Jamaica had 5 acres under ground-nuts in 1874-5, but only 2 in 1877-8. The important alimentary value of ground-nut meal may be judged from the following analysis :—Moisture, 9.6 ; fatty matter, 11.8; nitrogenous compounds, 31.9 ; sugar, starch, &c., ; fibre, 4.3 ; ash, 4.6 per cent. It is thus far superior to both peas and lentils. The chief use of the nuts at present in
Western commerce is for the oil which they afford (see Oils—Ground-nut); for the sake of this oil, they are largely imported to Marseilles, London, and Hamburg. The exports from the Gambia were 15,729 tons in 1858, and 13,000 tons in 1872 ; they fell to 10,000 tons in 1876, but reached the unprecedented figure of 29,396 tons in 1879. The exports from Sierra Leone in 1870 were 350 tons and 713,524 bush., all for France. Senegal exported 11,483,080 kilo. to France in 1874. The exports of ground-nut cake from Kiungchow were 17,600 piculs (of 133+ lb.) in 1877, 7942 in 1878, and 14,612+, value 5989/., in 1879. The exports of the cake from Pakhoi were 250,000 piculs in 1879. Taiwan exported 10,619 piculs of the cake in foreign bottoms in 1879. The exports of the nuts from Amoy were 1666 piculs in 1877, and 695 in 1878. The exports from Grenada Island (W. Indies) were 451 barrels and 216 bags in 1878.
Hazel-nut.—The fruits of the wild Corylus Avellana are the common hazel-nuts ; several species and varieties are distinguished, the principal being var. barcelonensis, affording the Spanish and Barcelona nuts, C. Colurna, the Turkish kind, C. tubulosa, filberts ; and C. Avellana var. grandis, the Kentish cob-nut. Some of the species are probably mere varieties produced by cultivation. The common wild nut is a native of all the cooler parts of Europe, N. Asia, and N. America. Of these nuts, our importations never exceed 300,000 bushels. The bulk comes from Spain. These, though afforded by one variety of tree only, are classified separately as— (1) Spanish : coming from Gijon, said to be sulphured, and will not keep for any time, arrive in bulk ; and (2) Barcelona : kiln-dried, shipped from Tarragona in bags of 128 lb. The produc tion of hazel-nuts is an important industry on the Turkish coast districts, extending from Athina to a little westward of Kerasund, and they constitute the chief riches of Kerasund, Tireboli, Ordos, Keureli, Yomurah, and Surmeneh. The beat qualities are those of Kerasund and Tireboli. Since 1876, the nuts have been shipped from these places directly to Great Britain, and their yearly value is now upwards of 20,000/. The exports of nuts (including a few walnuts) from Trebizond in 1879, in sacks of 1 cwt., were :—To Turkey, 11,862, value 17,793/. ; France, 1924, 2886/. ; Austria and Germany, 612, 918/. ; Russia, 1150, 1725/. ; Greece, 552, 828/.; Bulgaria and Roumania, 2001, 3006/. ; total, 18,104, 27,156/. Filberts are of three kinds, white, red, and frizzled. The first is most commonly grown in this country. Hundreds of acres are planted with it in Kent, whence the London market is chiefly supplied. It is said that 30 cwt. an acre is sometimes raised on suitable land, affording a higher money return than probably any other crop grown in this country. Hazel-nuts afford a bland oil (see Oila—Hazel-nut).