The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-06
INCREASE IN PEANUT CROP
The Yield This Year Greater Than
in 1909

of peanut from all sources, 1t Is ne
cessary to take into consideration inc
quantity supplied by foreign countries
as we'll as our own.
Especially is this true since the I'M
portations have increased SO largely.
1t is plain that when the home crop
is small and prices hlsH
it is impossible to import to this coul-
try much larger quantities than when
the price is loW; in fact, the lmporta-
tons have exceeded the calculations o.
the trade during the past few years
As an instance of the excessive i'm
portations, we have but to look at the
past season.
That it was possible to bring to this
country nearly 100000 900 pounds Of
foreign peanuts seemed almost incred-
ible, yet such are the facts, as COM
piled and supplied by the Department
of Commerce and Labor at flashing
ton.
Conditions were exceptionally ia
vorabIe for the heavy importations,
however, during the past season on
account Of the high market prevailing
on the homegrown product early IN
the season. and we'll did our foreign
competitors take advantage of the sit
uation.
the actual government figures Of
imports of foreign peanuts during the
nine months Of last year were 1.149,-
CSC pounds and for the nine CORE
spending months Of this year, 29.l4O,-
$40 pounds. Nearly II times as many
imported as in 1903.
That the peanut industry has this
very serious problem to face is we'll
recognized by all interested in the fu-
ture of peanut cultivation in this
country.
Under such conditions it will be soon
that a short crop grown in this coun-
try may not sell for more than a
large crop, because when the price is
advanced as it should be when only q
small crop is produced, the foreign
goods begin at once to come to this
country and increase the available
supply. In other words, the impOrta-
tons meet the deficiency in our home
crop.
The present insufficient tariff on
peanuts as levied by the government
is solely responsible for this condi-
ton. Our farmers Who make a bust
ness of growing peanuts in this coun-
try should be properly protected by
a tariff sufficient to exclude these
foreign goods, just as other indus
tries are protected by the govern
ment. Efforts a already been made
to secure a higher tariff, but SO far
unsuccessful and we suggest as a
further means of securing this neces-
sary protection. that each n every
farmer place the matter before his
Congressman and urge him TO use
his best effort in having a sufficient
tariff levied which at this time is alb
sOlutely necessary in order to pro-
tect them from this foreign compe-
ttion which seeks to destroy his
American industry.
Having carefully considered the
probable available supply of peanuts
from all sources we must now look
into the probable demand which is Of
equal Importance.
That there is and has been a con-
tinual increased demand and con-
sumption is unquestioned. AS an evil
dence Of this fact Notwithstanding the
large quantity Of imported nuts that
were added to the crop Of last season,
we find at the beginning of this sea-
son a comparatively bare market. It
is clear, therefore, that the peanut
business has SO grown and expanded
that it takes a good sized crop to
meet the requirements Of the trade.
we have predicted for some years
that a larger per cent of the crop
ZACH year would be used in the man
ufacture of the ~bi-products, such as
fections.
"The demand of last season for
shelled goods proved hat our predic-
tons were correct. While the sale Of
eanut in the hull has probably not
diminished, yet there seems to be more
emand for the shelled goods each
year on account Of the cheapness OF
peanuts as compared with other nuts
hat can be used in confections and
the b~i-prOductS. The sale Of peanut
butter especially has largely increased
all over the country and some of our
progressive manufacturer have made
a specially Of this product, having in
troduced it by actual demonstration in
the cities of the country where 1t was
not known. At the same rate Of in
crease as heretofore we estimate that
in a few years it will require the
larger per cent of the peanut CROP to
fill this demand alone.
In summing up the total available
supply of peanuts and the probable
demand it is clear that the present
crop will be easily required to meet all