PURPOSE: To enable the sure and efficient skinning of peas such as peanuts, by attaching a fluid-ejection nozzle to a conventional apparatus to incise the peas transferred by a holding wheel, and peeling the thin skin from the peas.

CONSTITUTION: The peanut P transferred from the hopper 37 to the base 31 of a guiding rod 30 by the feeding frame 26 vibrating with small amplitude, is held between a pair of elastic fins 18, 18 at the tip end 17 of the rotary holding wheels placed adjacently to each other, and is thrusted with the thrusting wheel 21 into the middle part between the elastic holding faces of the holding wheels 6. The peanut P held with the elastic fins 18, 18 is transferred along the guiding rod 30, and the top face of the peanut P is incised with the incision edge 35. When the peanut P reaches the delivery end 33 of the guiding rod, the motion of the peanut is stopped, both sides of the peanut P are rubbed with the elastic holding faces of the holding wheels 6, and at the same time, air is blasted toward the peanut through the nozzle 42 to effect the peeling of the thin skin from the nut. The skinned peanut is delivered through the chute 34, and the peeled thin skin is discharged by the skin-discharging wheel 38.