The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-23
INDUSTRY;
WHAT A We IMPORT o.
Virginia and North Carolina Lead
as Goober-Producing States.
Georgia Comes Next.
PEANUTS COMING FROM JAPAN
Judge Yarrell's Prophecy Coming
True-Nut-Growers May Be-
come High Protectionists.
ny wALTE1, EDyyARD HARRIS.

by WALTER EDWARD HARRIS.
WASHINGTON, ID. G.. June 22.-yir-
ginia and North Carolina supply two
thirds Of the peanuts raised IN the
United States, according to statement
issued by the Department OF Commerce
and labor. Despite the fact that the
United States produces probably ~
million bushels OF peanuts a year, the
exports of the nut from this country
have been SO insonsiderable that the
department has only recently begun
to include them In statistics OF the
foreign trade.
The question OF tariff on peanuts
has been agitated in Virginia. Judge
Leonidas d. Yarrell. of Greeneville
county, when a candidate for the nomi-
nation for Congress from the fourth
Virginia District three years ago. made
an unsuccessful race on platform the
chief plank In which was protection
for peanuts. 1t was alleged by his
opponents that there was no danger
OF foreign peanuts ever coming into
this country In appreciable quantities,
but Judge Yarrell asserts that even
now the peanut trust kas Virgintan
stationed in Spain buying peanuts for
export to America.
However. the figunes OF the DEPART
ment show that japan Is the only
country sending peanuts to America
In any considerable quantities. The
total imports into this country for the
nine months ending March. 1907. were
400, 900 bushels. Exports OF peanuts
from the United States will amount to
about 100000 bushels. The value Of
the imports 1t Is estimated, will reach
about 100000.
The Fact. mud Figures.
~
partment says:
Prices Of peanuts have also greatly
advanced In the foreign markets, the
average valuation OF imported pea
nuts, based upon wholesale prices In
the markets from which they are sent
to the United States, having advanced
from IL cents per pound in 1898 to
3.4 cents per pound in 1907, for those
In the natural state, ana that Of shelled
peanuts imported in 1898 was "a cents
per pound, and In 1907, AS cents
West Africa and the East Indies are
the principal sources of supply Of tho
peanuts entering the International
markets Of the world. The exports
OF peanuts from the French colony Of
Senegal on the west coast of Africa
were, in the latest available year. over
800 million pounds; those OF British
India, little less than 200 millions;
Gambia. on the west coast of Africa,
about 100 millions; the Dutch East In
Sies. about so millions; while China,
Japan. Argentina, Spain. and the United
States also supply comparatively small
quantities.
The striking feature of our own
trade In peanuts Is the rapid growth
In importations. The quantity i'm
rcrted aidecade ago. in the fiscal year
1897, was less than 100000 pounds: in
1902, over / million; in 1905, more than
s millions: and in 1907 seems likely to
be about ~ million pounds. OF which
about one-fourth represents shel1ed and
three-fourths unshelled peanuts. the
value being, as above stated, approXi-
nAatcly n half-million dollars for the
present fiscal year, while that of ex-
ports will be over ne-quarter Of a
million dollars.
Virginin Farmers, Take Notice.
Since the peanut crop OF this country
is not estimated annually by the De-
partment OF Agriculture, the only off,
cial data in regard to both the acre
age and the production are those coll
lccted by the decennial census. A COM
parison of the Eleventh and Twelfth
Censuses shows that the growing OF
peanuts has been rapidly extending in
this country, the acreage in 1889 being
2t4.000 acres and in 1899 $4,000 acres,
an increase of over $50 per cent, while
the production has increased from 81
5SS.000 bushels to 1905, 900 bushels or
about 233 per cent. The crop is con-
centrated in few Southern States.
Virginia supplying about one-third of
It. North Carolina about another third.
and five States Georgia. Alabama, and
Florida in addition to the above men
tioned) claiming in 1890 about 90 per
cent. of the acreage and crop.
In comparison with this production
the foreign trade is as yet insignih-
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