Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-10

question that at once arose was, could
the mills continue TO pay this price If
cotton seed were to drop to SIS or $50
ton? 1t may be OF interest to note
here that certain Texas concerns which
this year invested from $350.000 to $780,
600 in peanuts for oil production, have
placed them on the market for edible
use on account of the shortage of the
Virginia crop. The market at NorfollS
when the writer was there, was 81 to
$1.05 per bushel for Spanish peanuts.
1t seemed to be the concensus OF
opinion that the oil mills would not be
able ordinarily to pay more than 40
cents to 90 cents per bushel for Span
ish peanuts. 1t becomes a question
therefore, whether the farmer can pro-
duce them and put them on the market
for this price at a profit. The average
yields through the sections visited ran
from 35 to 40 bushels per acre. From
several sources il was learned that the
cost Of producing and putting them on
the market is close to cents per pound.
This would make go cents a bushel
for Spanish peanuts. Under normal
conditions. the farmer would only break
even at this maximum price, unless he
could do better than the section visited.
To do better he would have to bring
IL about in one of two ways, either by
decreasing the cost below that of the
section in question, or by increasing
the yield without proportionately in
creasing the price.
This does not mean that there is no
opportunity in peanut oil production.
One of the big corporations interested
in cotton seed oil production has this
year contracted for all of the second
from shelters in the Virginia region
a. - e. fcha Eel
This would be something like SIS cents
to go cents per bushel for the nuts
in the shell. This seemed to the writer
about the most feasible method for oil
production. 1t affords a higher price
for a part of the crop and at the same
time provides a portion Of the crop for
oil production at a price that 1t is
estimated mills can ordinarily pay. 1t
is thought by Mr.. Thompson. Of the
bureau of plant industry, who has been
investigating this matter for some time.
that there is an opportunity for limit
ed amount Of very high grade peanut
oil that will sell for a higher price that
the average oil extracted in this
country A bulletin on peanut
oil, in which this matter will be
presented, is being prepared by Messrs.
Bailey and Thompson, and will be avail
able for distribution by the United
States department of agriculture in
something like sixty days.
SWINE VS.. OIL PRODUCTION.
The business of feeding peanuts TO
hogs is already established and growing
and it is a question of whether it can
be further developed to the. best adj
vantage or not. If we take the average
acre yield at 80 bushels at 40 cents to
so cents per bushel, the income is from
sic TO $24 per acre.
Taking 200 pounds per acre as the
minimum amount of work produced by
peanuts (and IL is ordinarily greater
than this), at prices ranging from 6
cents to cents per pound live weight,
il will mean a return of S12 TO SIG per
acre. 1t was noted above. however, that
the estimated cost of production and
marketing of peanuts is cents per
round, on the basis that 1t required l.
cent a pound for preparation, planting
and cultivation and another cent pound
for harvesting and marketing. Therefore,
at cents a pound 200 pounds would
just pay the cost Of production, while
at cents a pound there would be q
profit of 81 per acre.
Grazing the land for pork at cents
a pound, is probably better PROPOSE
ton for the farmer than selling the
nuts at 60 cents bushel. True, he