Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-01-10
THE POTENT PEANUT.
ONE WOULD HARDLY THINK THE
HUMBLE eooBER so IMPORTANT.

Foods-substitute For Olive OIL.
But little is known of the peanut out
side of localities in which it is grown,
and even where it is most largely grown
its possibilities are for the most part not
at all realized, and it is not by any
means made to yield the highest results
it is capable of. Taking into account all
its sources of value, the peanut ought to
be one of the most profitable of the gen.
eral farm crops in the SOUTH The fol-
lowing facts about it are in the main
condensed from bulletin of the United
States department of agriculture pre-
pared by r. B, Handy of the office of
experiment stations.
The yearly production of peanuts in
this country is about 1000, 900 bushels
Of 22 pounds, the bulk of the crop being
produced in Virginia, Georgia, Tennes-
see and North Carolina. These 4,000,-
600 bushels, while fully supplying the
present demand of the United States,
constitute but q small part of the pea
nut crop uf the world, as the eIpor,a-
ton from Africa and India in 1899
amounted TO nearly 400, 900, 900 pounds,
of which $4,000, 600 pounds went to
Marseilles for conversion into oil
The largest part Of the American crop
is sold by street venders, but small
amounts are used by oonfectioners, ohoc-
olate manufacturers and for the manu-
- - ~ so rrso1 Hs,r
lubricating and soapmaking and is a
good substitute for olive oil for salads
and other culinary purposes and as a
substitute for lard and cottolene and
butter in cooking. The residue from oil
making, known as peanut cake, is a
highly valued cattle food in the coun-
tries of Europe and is also ground into
fine flour and used az human food. It
makes good soup, griddle cakes, muf
fins, etc., and is one Of the most Dutri-
tive of foods. The vines, when dried,
become a very nutritive hay, readily
eaten by stock, though requiring care in
the feeding lest it produce collie.
The present uses of the peanut and its
products are likely to be greatly extend
ed and new channels of utility found
for it, as has been the case with cotton
seed. With better methods Of tillage and
q larger yield per acre the cost Of pro-
duction could be greatly lessened. Ac-
cording to the eleventh census, the aver
age yield of peanuts in the United
States in 1889 was 17.6 bushels per
acre, the average in Virginia being
about 20 and in Tennessee SO bushels
per acre. This appears to be very low
average, especially as official and semi
official figures give 80 or go bushels as
an average crop, and 100 bushels are not
an uncoPmon yield.
! While the peanut has been cultivated
in the United States to limited extent
for number Of years, it is only since
1866 that the crop has become Of pri-
mary Importance in the eastern section
Of this country, which seems peculiarly
adapted to it's production. Between 1865
and 1870 the rapid spread Of the culture
Of peanuts was phenomenal. Each year
doubled and at times increased three
fold its crop over that of the preceding
year, so that this country, from being a
large importer of west African nuts,
was soon able to supply the domestic
demand with the home raised article.
Virginia, North Carolina and Tennes-
see produce large part of the peanut
crop of the United States. Within the
last few years this crop has ceased to be
as profitable as heretofore. The method
Of culture-the annual planting Of nuts
on the same land, the lack of proper ro-
tation Of crops, the complete removal of
all vegetation from the land and the fail
ure to replenish the soil by means Of
fertilizers-has been a great factor IN
reducing the profits of the crop by re.
ducing the ability of the land to pro.
duoe such crops as were previously Sc.
cured in that section, so that now in,
stead of an average of 90 bushels per
acre, with frequent yields Of over 100
bushels. the average in the peanut sec
tions is not over 20 bushels, while the
cost Of cultivation has been but slightly
reduced.
As regards food value, peanut kernels,
with an average of 30 per cent Of pro-
tein, 40 per cent of fat and IA per cent
Of carbohydrates in the dry material,
| AukO u nlkA Idlh anu bLOuAAl 10 CAdbb6O
with such concentrated foods as sofa
beans. cotton seed, etc. The vines are
shown by analysis to be superior tc
timothy hay as a feeding stuff and but
slightly inferior to Glover hay.
The ground hulls are used to q con.
Tiderable extent as a coarse fodder in
European countries. Peanut meal, the
ground residue from oil extraction, is 9
valuable feeding stuff highly appreciat-
ed and extensively used in foreign ooun.
tries. 1t contains, as the averages OF
over z, 900 analyses show, about 52 per
cent of protein, per cent Of fat and %
per cent of carbohydrates and is one Of
the most concentrated feeding Stuff
with which we are familiar, ranking
with cOttonseed meal, linseed meal, etc.
and in some cases ahead Of them.
In describing the uses of peanuts it IL
scarcely necessary TO more than refer tC
the use TO which fully three-fourths Of
the American raised crop is devoted
The nut is sorted in the factory intC
four grades, the first, second and thirt
being sold to venders of the roasted pea
nut either directly or through jobbers
while the fourth is sold to confectioneri
to be used in the making of "burnt
almonds, peanut candy and the cheap
er grades Of chocolates. The extent o.
the use Of the peanut by the American
people will be more fully appreciated
when il is remembered that they us'
1000, coo bushels of nuts yearly, at I
cost 10 the consumers Of $40, 900. 600
which do not form part of the regulal
articles Of food, but are eaten at ode