The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-01-28

Low In the List of Refreshments, IL Is High
In the Items of Commerce. Crop of
4 mn 0oo D.-n

In the Items of Commerce-A Crop of
100000 Bushels.
Norfolk (vs) Correspondence PhilsdeIPbia Tines
An interesting item recently went the
rounds ofthe papers giving a statement of the
enormous trade in peanuts-those cheap lit
tie things so toothsOme to the grounding. A
great many people in the North fancy that
peanuts grow on vines, and that they are all
alike-although they can not understand why
1t Is that street vendors can sell what they
consider the same article for less money than
they can be bought for in stores. Peanuts do
grow upon vines, but, like the Irishman's,
vineyard, the fruit is under the ground. They
are not all alike, and the nuts that are
peddled around variety shows and thlrd-class
theaters at a low price, are not the proper
article to be ground to powder by the worries
of the truly good. The peanut section of
Virginia, where the best and most delicious
nuts are raised, is comprised in the following
counties: Southampton, Surry, Prince George,
Nansemond, Sussex and Isle of Wight, with
tn -rop extending of late years along the
historic %peninsular. The farmers of Princess
Anne and Norfolk counties are at present
paying particular attention TO that crop,
while over the border, in North Cerolina,
the county of Currituck, celebrated for its
csnvas-back ducks, wild geese, snipe and
swans, with its fish and fishing, is also cele-
brated for its peanuts. But Nansemond and
Isle of Wight counties, in old Virginia,
bear of the palm for raising the finest peanuts
in the Union, their favor, size and quality
being far superior to all others.
The crop year begins about October l, and
ends in the following September. 1t is esti-
mated Oy competent judges that the crop of
last year reached 100000 bushels, Of which
amount Norfolk handled 100000 bushels.
The prices averaged 81 per bushel, which
makes a big item for such an Insignificant
thing as a peanut. The State of Virginia
alone will raise over 100000 bushels this
year, and Currituck, n. c., will send her usu-
al quota, thus filing up the storehouses and
factories of this city to their utmost capacity.
1t is stated OF good authority that one acre
| of ground will yield from 60 to 100 bushels
| of peanuts, which pay the farmer as much, if
/ not more, than he can realize from any other
| crop.
Walking aroun1 this city a few days ago,
your correspondent by accident entered a
large peanut factory on Water street, and
saw so many nuts IN bags and out of bags
that the idea suggested itself at once that
some Connecticut "Yank" had invented a
wooden peanut. The modus operandi
by which the nuts are separated,
| clearsed and classed is somewhat
as follows: The third story of the
building contains thousands of bushels of
peas in bags, and there the continual roll of
the machinery is deafening. Each machine
has a duty to perform. First, there is a large
cylinder in which all the nuts are placed in
order that the dust may be shaken off of
them. They pass from this cylinder into the
brushes, where every nut receives 10 feet of
q brushing before it becomes free. Then they
pass through a sluice-way to the floor below
where they are dropped on an endless belt,
about two and a half feet in width, and
passing along at the rate Of four miles an
hour. On each side of the belt stand eight
colored girls, and as the nuts fall from the
slLivv ON TO the belt the girls, with a quick
motion Of the hand, pick out all the poor
looking nuts, and by the time the belt
reaches the end two-thirds OF the nuts are
picked of, allowing only the finest to pass the
crucible. Those that do pass drop through
another sluice and empty into bags on the
floor below. When the bag is filled it is
taken away by hand. sewed up and branded
as "cocks," whit the figure of a rooster promi-
nent on its sides. The peas caught up by the
girls are thrown to one side, placed in bags
and carried into another room, where they
are again picked over, the best singled out,
bagged and branded as ''ships." These are as
fine a nut as the first for eating, but in shape
and color do not compare with the
socks" Having gone over them twice,
we now come to a third grade, which are
called and branded as eagles" These are
picked out of the cuttings Of the socks" and
"ships," but now and then you will find q
respectable looking nut among them, though
the eyes Of the colored damsels are as keen
as a hawks, and a bad nut is rarely allowed
to pass their hands. The cuttings that are
left from the "eagles" are bagged, sent through
the elevator to the top story. and what little
meat is in them is shaken out by a patent
shelter, which is not only novel but as per-
feet a piece of machinery as was ever in
vented. The nuts being shelled by this new
process, the meat drops into bags below, free
from dust and dirt of any kind, and are then
are shipped in 200. pound sacks to the North,
where they are bought up by the confection-
ers for the purpose of making taffy or pea
nut candy. 1t may be here stated that a
peculiar kind of oil is extracted from the
meat of the nut, and in this speciality a large
trade is done among the wholesale druggists.
There is nothing wasted, for wen the shells
are made useful. They are packed in sacks
and sold to stable-keepers for horse-bedding,
and a very healthy bed they make. A days
work is about 5000 bushels, which includes
the labor of cleaning, picking and packing
for shipment. From all this it can be readily
seen why the prices Of peanuts vary so much
and why it is that the huckster going round
with his wagon can sell cheaper than the
stores; for he sells the "eagles" while the
shopkeepers sell those of a higher grade.