Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-10-23
MONEY IN PEANUTS.
Ten Million Dollars Spent Annually u
America for This Fruit"

America for This Fruit"
ran incidentally asked street
vender IL his peanuts were frst-class,
and the response to the inquiry was
surprising, says the Chicago Tribune.
NO" said the vender you do not
get first-class 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 are nothing
more than fourth-rate peanuts"
"Where did the peanut come from%'
"Trom Central and South America.
They grow there in long pods, and the
pods contain from four to five kernels.
They were carried to the old world in
the early days, aid in the seventeenth
century they constituted the chief
staple Of Africa. You will find il you
look it up that the slave dealers OF
Africa in those days used to 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 is rails
ing the crop, and, owing to American
shrewdncss, the nut is ground and used
for various purposes and shipped all
aver the world.
II reckon you know" the vcnder con.
.inucd, that peanuts in a certain condi-
lion are more nutritious than beef.
When specially prepared they rank
with beans and peas. The peanut is
said to contain go per cent. of protein
and 40 per cent. of fat. What is known
as peanut meal contains SO per cent. OF
protein and per cent. Of fat. 1t is the
cheapest of all food materials"
In 1861 and 1865 peanut oil was man.
ufactured largely in four southern
states, and was employed as substi-
tutc for olive oil. In fact, one drug
gist admitted, some Of the "olive oil''
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 so per cent. OF
the weight of thcir kernels in oil.
Sometimes peanut Oh is used for light
ing, and again it is utilized to advan-
tage in the making OF soap and as a
lubricant i'll machine shops.
The American peanut is larger and
better favored than any other, but il
docs not contain SO much oil as the Al
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 $50 to e33 q ton. This country
owes to Germany the suggestion it 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 IL
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 IS, 900, 900 pounds. The total world!
supply amounts to about 600, 900, 00'
pounds. The expectation from Afric,
and India to Europe during the last yea
amounted to nearly 400, oOo, 900 pounds
OF this quantity 222, DOC, 900 pounds were
delivered ut the port OF Marseilles
France. the bulk of it being pressed fol
oil.
1t is estimated that SIC, 1000, 900 wortl
Of peanuts are eaten every year in thu
United States, and most of the quaint
ty, it is said, is consumed between
meals and at odd times.