The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-05-12
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
THE PEANUT AS A FoopsTuFF.

Open Up for tho Farmers of the South
Through the Humble Goober.
About year ago the attention OF
ihe writer was drawn to a report. or
rather series OF reports, made to the
German government and subsequently
published in the Zeitschrift fur Nah
rungsmittel, d journal devoted espe-
ciaily to foodstuffs, alimentation, ETC.,
on new foodstuff called Protein meal
that had recently been introduced into
that country. The new aliment has
first been brought to the notice of the
military authorities. who ordered an
exact and searching inquiry into its
merits DIR. Koenig, of Munster, was
placed in charge of the investigation,
and it is to his reports that am about
to call attention. DIR. Koenig is the
greatest living authority on all that
pertains to foodstuffs in that country
in which, for various reasons. the ques-
ton of 1.-The greatest amount OF alimen-
tation, in the least volume and for the
lowest proportionate cost" has as
sumed the highest Importance, and has
been most thoroughly and scientifically
investigated-the German empire.
There millions Of men, the youngest,
strongest and most healthy and most
willing to labor as producers in the
fields and the workshops, are not mere
ly kept from such labors by the strin-
gent military laws, but must be sup
ported in their enforced idleness, at
public cost, in such manner that they
shall always be in the highest possible
fighting trim. Not only this, but the
necessity of being always prepared for
war, the storing away Of food for use
in Notifications, on board ships; and,
above all, for the proper Authorization
of men on the march, makes the ques-
ton Of the greatest amount of nutri-
ment in the smallest compass one of
the supremest Importance, and hence
one that has brought to its study and
solution all the activity of the greatest
thinkers and experimenters-
The dictum, therefore, of such men,
on any subject pertaining to food and
alimentation, is worthy of the most
profound attention even in this happy
country of freedom from military duty,
of overproduction of food-stuff and
hence extravaganza and wastefulness
in everything pertaining to foods. from
the cultivation and garnering of crops
and their preparation for use down to
the cooking, serving and consumption
of the same. Especially is this true
when that dictum calls attention to a
material produced by us, as people,
in the greatest abundance, and not
hitherto regarded as staple of food.
1 refer to the American peanut, called
by scientists Arachys hypogna, and by
common folks variously goobcr, ground
nut, peanut, goober pea, pindar, etc. /,
according to the region whence they
hail.
This fruit has been introduced into
Germany from the African possessions
of that empire, and prepared for use
under the name of Erdnussgritze. or
earth-nut grits. The reports of DR..
Koenig, hitherto alluded to, have been
summarized in paper styled "Die
Brotfrage," or the Bread Question -
contributed by him to German period
ical devoted to foodstuffs. Authorization.
etc, from which the information fol-
lowing is obtained.
THE sOYA BEAN.
The author introduces the subject
with brief description of the nut
(''fruit Of Arachys hypogea). which,
as it is so familiar to all of us, we will
omit, as well as the methods of prepar
ing for market, partial expression for
oil, roasting the oil cake. etc. The
soya bean, says DR.. Koenig, has hither
to been considered the vegetable prod
net richest in protein matter, and it.
cultivation in Germany as a food has
of late years been warmly advocated
The author in this work, "Chemie del
Nahrungs und Genussmittel," says o.
it: "Soya stands far and away above
other leguminos@ in its fat content.
and high percentage of protein, and
therefore can not too strongly urge
its cultivation, even here in Germany
especially as SO many delightful dishes
can be made with it." DR.. Koenif
also. upon this point, quotes
DIR. Spindler on the value o
protein meal derived from soya (theI
the richest known source of it), VIII,
says: "As protein meal contains abou
three times as much nitroge nous mat
ter as grain meals, and nearly twice a
much as meal made from the othe
leguminos~ (hilsenfrichte) they shoul,
be freely used as an adjunct to al
meals poor in heterogeneous matter, il
order to increase the nutritive value o
the latter-that is, provided always
that the increase of the nutrimen
thus gained can be affected with du
regard to the increased cost of tn
product Protein meal q. e., flour)
either alone or mixed with wheat, ry
or barley meals, produces a brea
which, on account of its high alimer
tary value, as well as its diminishe
volume and very bookkeeping quail
ties, seems to be peculiarly adapted
the victualing of forts, garrisons, ship
of war and mercantile marine; and tn
pure protein meal, on account OF it
proportionately small content of cal
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