The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-28
SHORT PEANUT CROP.
Little Of the Crop Remains
Now UnsoId.
The Situation Strong One. Higher Prices
May be Txp cted in the Near
Future.


Messrs. Holmes and Dawson. of this
city. who are recognized all over the
country as authorities on all subjects
pertaining to the peanut crop and the
peanut trade, have prepared the follow
ing letter reviewing the conditions at
this time, which will interest dealers
and handlers generally. They say:
For the month past or more there
has been quite a degree of uncertainty
in the minds of the peanut trade as to
what proportion of the present crop Of
PEANUTS grown in the State of North
Carolina has been already marketed,
some claiming that a good part of the
crop is yet to come in; others that the
crop has practically been already
moved, and that there are but Few
peanuts remaining unsold. In order TO
get at somewhat of a solution of this
question and more exact status of ac-
tual conditions, we addressed q large
number of inquiries to reliable CORE
srondents of North Carolina, such par
ties who are in a position to know,
asking them to advise us as near as
possible what percentage of the crop has
been marketed
1T Is well to explain that all factory
i.andpicked peanuts shipped from this
section are known as Virginia PEA
nuts are obtained in their rough
state from about sixteen counties in
Virginia and North Carolina. Peanuts
were first grown to any extent in Fir-
ginia, hence the name Virginia pea
nuts Later on. owing to the adapta
bihty OF the soil and the profitableness
of the crop, Eastern North Carolina
went largely into the raising of peanuts,
and from this source a very large pro-
portion of the supply of Virginia pea
nuts is obtained North Carolina always
markets her crop in the early part o.
the shipping season. Virginia ordinarily
pursuing the contrary course, hence the
special interest at this time in North
Carolina crop movement. The replies
to our inquiries give minimum of rs
per cent. and maximum of 95 per cent.
as having left the country, and the aver
age when tabulated of SO per cent.
I'm addition to this our correspond
cnts say that whereas at this time in
other seasons quite proportion OF the
crop was unpicked from the vines, that
now only here and there can be found
any farmers who have not entirely
finished picking off: that what remains
10 be picked off will be done by hand
and NOT by machine. indicating that
there is not enough work to JUSTIFY own
ers or runners of machines to put them
into operation. We consider these csti-
mates and opinions as conservative and
worthy of thought and consideration as
our correspondents almost as an entirety
Lave nc holdings of peanuts, having
shipped and sold as fast as picked off,
consequently no long interest to care
FOR
we now turn to conditions at the
markets themselves. So far as we can
estimate there are at this time in the
hands of commission merchants in Nor
folk, msold, not over 5000 bags, as COM
pared with a stock in their hands. and
in transit at same time last yeas OF
something like 100000 bags
I'm view of these short crop eondi-
tions. the question naturally arises, why
is tho market quiet and inactive at this
tine?
1--WE submit the following reasons:
list The North Carolina crop has
teen marketed under unusually favor
able weather conditions. which favored
a rapid picking and harvesting, Sc that
The whole crop has been practically plac-
cd on the market at one time. all mold
ers being willing to sell at the advanced
prices
zdIt has uniformly been the prac-
tiee of the peanut farmers in Virginia
TIVE lnean the larger ones) to wait for
cent market and when that mark
was reached, to close out their holdings.
That loint having been attained, they
are disposed to be free sellers. particul.
arly in view of the fact that last season
they lost by holding too long. Naturally
the cleaners and handlers of factory
goods cannot take care of the two crops
of North Carolina and Virginia in two
TO three months, even though it is
short crop. There must be correspond
irs output to the trade. which cannot be
SO easily compressed into so short a
time. The factories operate all the year
round. but like other lines of business
have their limit of capacity for the time
being
The trade is not taking the cleaned
goods as fast as they did last year for
the reason that they are now buying on
a limited scale and from hand to mouth
whereas last year, when peanuts were
cheaper they bought ahead of their needs
and on a speculative basis. 1t must be
remembered, however, that because of
he exceptionally fine quality of peanuts
this season. there is proportionately
larger number of bags which go into fac
tory branded handpicked peanuts than
was the case last season. Smelling stock
and inferior grades being scarce.
ct will take a great many peanuts
to fill the demands of the trade later
on. when receipts will have Stacked up
but for the present it is we'll to remem-
Der that the factories can take care OF
just so many peanuts at the time. We
conclude that the stution is strong
one from a crop standpoint, and with
coed factory trade, We may expect high
or prices in the near future.
'HOLMES & DAWSON"