Methods of broadening the genetic base of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) generally involve crosses of exotic germplasm with locally adapted cultivars. Broadening the genetic base effectively requires the evaluation of a large number of crosses and lines within crosses. Mass selection within a cross in early generation, as opposed to single seed descent or bulk breeding methods, eliminates many undesirable segregates from crosses of exotic with adapted germplasm. In this study five plant introductions, representing different levels of diversity, were crossed with an adapted Virginia (ssp. hypogaea var. hypogaea) breeding line. Twelve high and 12 low yielding plants in the F₂ generation of each cross were selected with a high and low selection being made from among 10 plants grown in sixteen 12-plant rows. The selected material was increased and evaluated in F₄ generation yield trials at two locations. Stratified mass selection for higher seed yield was effective for both intersubspecific crosses but was only effective for one of the three intrasubspecific crosses. Confounding effects of meat content with seed yield and the small number of F₂ plants evaluated may be partially responsible for the lack of effective selection for two of the intrasubspecific crosses. Selection for higher seed yield separated the F₂ plants into two groups for meat content with the selections for high seed yield having higher meat content. However, the high and low selections, when evaluated in the F₄ generation, were not different for meat content except for one intrasubspecific cross.