improved as hardly to be recognized as the same
animal. As a pork producer we believe that the Peanut has not its
superior in any clime or country. It is a thorough fat-former. Poultry
intended for laying should be sparingly fed with it.

But we would not leave this subject without a grain of caution. While
all stock fattens rapidly on the Peanut, it must be confessed that the
fat is not always of the best quality. It is less firm and more oily
than the fat derived from Indian corn, nor will the lard from hogs
fattened upon peanuts show that pearly white and flaky appearance, which
is the marked characteristic of pure lard made from corn. For this
reason, most planters in the peanut belt, feed their peanut-fed hogs on
corn only for two or three weeks before killing them. This is done to
make the lard firm and white, and in this manner, good pork and lard are
produced at only a trifling cost. The hogs get nearly fat from the
detached peanuts left in the field, and which otherwise would be lost.
In this way the peanut-planter derives a very important benefit from
this crop, apart from its value as a source of ready money. Were there
no other use for the peanut, it would still pay well to raise it for
making pork. In this case, the planting and cultivation would be the
sole cost, as the animals would do all the harvesting. A very small
field would fatten quite a number of hogs. Poultry intended for market,
might well be fed on Peanuts, instead of corn or oats. The fowls would
fatten faster and at less cost. In fact, we believe it would be
economical to buy peanuts at ruling prices for fattening stock,
especially old stock.

=Peanut Hay.=--If dug and cured before frost touches them, and before
the leaves fall to any great extent, peanut vines make a very good
provender for all stock. Some say it is better than blade fodder for
horses and mules, but we are not prepared to advance this extravagant
claim for it. It is, however, certainly an excellent article of fodder
for cattle, sheep, mules, and horses, and if many sap peanuts are left
on the vines, stock that is not worked much, will need no other feed
during the winter months to keep them in good condition.

Most planters, accordingly, make it an object to try to save the vines
for hay, and aim to dig the crop before they are injured by frost.
After a killing frost touches them, the vines are next to worthless as a
feed. In fact, frost-bitten peanut vines are harmful, r