The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-06-25
AMERICA SHY ON
THE G0OBER CROP
BY THOMAS j. PENCE.

Washington, d G.. June 20.-Those
two greaat American institutions, the
nationl game and the circus, must be
growing in pOpulr favor, judging
from a special report issued by the
Department of Labor and Commerce,
which declares that the consumption
of peanuts is increasing at an aston
ishing rate The government. which
has never before undertaken to collect
"gOOber" statistics, has ascertalned
that Americans are eaating more pea
nuts than they can produce at home,
and are now forced to the necessity of
going abroad TO meet the demand for
the product. The importatons OF the
"goober" are increasing TO such an
extent that the government has felt
called upon to bring the matter to the
attention Of the American farmer. The
Japanese leada in the importation Of
the product to this country, and IS a
matter of fact they are in advance of
all other countries. The statistics
gathered by the government clearly
indicate that a war with the sons Of
Nippon would be at the sacrifice of
the American palate.
North Carolina's Supremacy.
North Carolina leads the States of
the Union in the peanut output, pro-
ducing one-third of the crop. Vir-
ginia is a close second, and is given
credit for another third of the pro-
duction. The remainder Of the crop
is given in Georgia, Alabama and
Florida. The cultivtion of peanuts is
considered very profitable, and by
reason of the growing demand for the
product the government is urging an
Increase of acreage in the peanut belt
ION he nyfl m 10 n
publication says: The increase in the
imports Of peanuts which has taken
place during the last year makes the
conditions of the world production
and trade of practical importance TO
the farmers of certain sections in this
country
1t has only been a few years ago
that Colonel Yarrel, candidate for
Congress in the Norfolk district. at
the hub of the peanut belt, urged as
the chief plank in his platform protec-
tion on peanuts Ridicule was about
all tha- greeted the campaign cry Of
the Virginian in behalf of the goober
grower but the newly published gov
ernment statistics indicate that he had
a better knowledge Of the peanut stu
alton than ne WAS given credit for. De
spite the fact that the United States
produces probably twelve million
bushels OF peanuts per annum. her
nave beeu III SOCn lncDH-
sidera BILE quantities that the Bureau
of statistics has only recently found
it necessary to include peanuts in its
list of articles exported. Meantime
the imports have also rapidly increas-
ed and the total foreign commerce in
this article in the year about 10 end
will aggre gate nearly one million dol
lars. the imports hating grown in
value from less than $4,000 in the
wear 1900 to about a million dollars
in the present year. Only Japan shows
quantities exported to the
United States.
An American Luxury.
America is one Of the few coun-
tries that look upon the peanut as q
luxury The French who are the
greatest promoters, employ the
.'eoober" for the extraction OF oil. In
fact. several countries class peanuts
in their trade statistics With oil seeds
or raw products for use in Saanufac-
lures. No maan hs done more 10 boom
the peanut as a luxury than the late
Bishop Lyman, of North Carolina,
distinguished Episcopal clergyman,