The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-04-20

Ten miliion Doilsrs spent Annually In
America for This "Fruis.-

America Tor This "Eruf..~
A psap incidentally asked a street
vendor II his peanuts were first-class
and the response to tho inquiry was
surprising, says the Chicago Tribune.
''No," said the vender. "You do not
get first-clnss peanuts in this country
In this way. The best peanuts are used
for other purposes. They are made
into meal and grits by scientific men.
and in Germany they are prepared for
sick people In the hospitals. The pea
nuts you get In candy are the very
poorest grade. And some OF the burnt
almonds which you get arc nothing
more than fourth-ratc peanuts"
Where did the peanut come fromp"
From Central and South America.
They grow there In long pods, and tho
pods contain from four to Ave kernels
They were carried To the old world in
the early days, and in the seventeenth
century they constituted the chief
staple Of Africa. You will find II you
look IL up that the slave dealers of
Africa In those days used 10 load their
ships with peanuts to be used as food
for their human cargoes. The negroes
who were imported from Africa TO this
country brought over the peanut and
they were scattered and first grew In
Virginia. And now this country Il rails
ing the crop, and, owing to American
shrewdness, the nut Is ground and used
for various purposes and shipped all
over the world.
II reckon you know" the vender con-
tinued, 'that peanuts In certain condi-
ton are moro nutritious than beef.
When specially prepared they rank
with beans and peas. The peanut Is
said to contain 20 per cent. OF protein
and 40 per cent. of fat. What is known
rs peanut meal contains 80 per cent OF
protein and 8 per cent. OF fat. IL Is tho
cheapest of all food materials"
In 1891 and 1895 peanut oil was man
ufacturcd largely In four southern
states, and was employed as a substi-
tute for olive oil. In fact, one drug
gist admitted, some Of the "olive oilr
sold now In this country Is nothing
more than peanut oil. Nearly all OF the
olive oil sold In the United States Is
mixed with part OF the peanut Pea
nuts furnish from 80 TO 80 per cent. OF
the weight OF their kernels I'm OIL
Sometimes peanut oil Is used for light
Ing, and again II Is utilized to advan-
tagc in the making of soap and as
lubricant in machine shops.
The American peanut Is larger and
better favored than any other, but 10
does not contain so much oil as the AZ
rican nut. The cake" which Is left
after extracting the oil makes excellent
feed for cattle, and Is used very largely
for that purpose In Germany, where IL
sells for ESQ to $33 ton. This country
owes to Germany the suggestion II has
received In relation TO the edible quail
ties OF peanuts, and the department OF
agriculture Is now investigating the
method of Germany in the way in
which that country has handled the
nut, and the result Is to be published
by the department for the benefit OF
the farmers.
The United States now produces
1900. 900 bushels Of peanuts annually,
or 81, 000, 900 pounds. The total worlds
supply amounts TO about 100000, 900
pounds. The expectation from Africa
and India 10 Europe during the last year
amounted TO nearly 400, 100000 pounds.
OF this quantity 922 900, 900 pounds were
delivered at the port OF Marscilles,
France, the bulk of II being pressed for
oil.
1t il estimated that $4,000, 900 worth
of peanuts are eaten every year In the
United States, and most OF the qunnti-
~, II is said. Is consumed between
meals and at odd times.