The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-02-21
GIL MILL
--LATEST. INDUSTRY
-.
NEW MONEY CROP LOOMS IN
SOUTH CAROLINA-oTHER
SOUTHERN STATES HAVE Es-,
TABLIsHED INDUSTRY WITH
BEST RESULTS-HAs, PROV
EN-. SUCCESS. = -

EN-. SUCCESS. = = -
A new industry for Richland coun-
ty and South Carolina is the Caro-
lima Peanut Oil mill near Registers
which is now getting under opera
ton. This plant is departure from
South Carolina manners and Gus
oms in the economic world and will
furnish a market to the farmers Of
the county and the state for a
money crop other than cotton. In
this way it will enable South Caro-.
lima planters to get away from their
dependence upon the lint as has
been done in other Southern states.
The soil of South Carolina and
especially of Richland county is said
to be particularly adaptable to the
growth of peanuts, which thrive in
sandy soil. The white Spanish va
riety is most recommended as it
contains the most oil and is the best
in every other way. ~.
Several farmers Of the county
have already approached the owners,
saying they would plant some pea
nuts, and it is expected that in the
course of time the idea will take.
About five or ten acres is recon-.
mended as the proper amount of the
crop for a starter if other commodi-
ties are being cultivated.
The plant mill will relieve the
farmers of the peanuts and after
shelling them either sell them to
confectioners or make them into oil.
No oil will be made for the present
, on account of the low price it is now
bringing but later on if the tariff on
oil bearing seeds is passed the ORR
entail flooding of the market will be
stemmed, causing prices to rise and
strengthening the domestic market.
Also when the center Ut the peanut
industry of the world, MarseiAes,
France, is again in operation great
deal of the Oriental stock will be abb
sorbed there.
In view of these facts it can
readily be seen that there is no rea-
son why the industry will not sue
ceed in South Carolina, as it has in
Coffee County, Alabama, where it is
said an expensive monument has
been erected to the boil weevil in
honor of services rendered in en-
| riching the farmers through causing
them to resort to. peanut planting.
One plant has been in operation in
Charleston for some time, handling
the Oriental trade, having water
rates which permits 1t. '
The company is fortunate in hav-
ing as superintendent C. F. Nelms,
who has had 80 years. experience in
the operating of similar plant in
Virginia. ..
Plant Complete -,
The plant itself consists of large
warehouse, two shelters and oil mill
and will later be enlarged when the
business is firmly established. For
the present the forces will consist Of
about 20 persons on each shift if
day and night crews are employed.
The peanuts are carried from the
warehouse by machinery to clean
er which removes trash. The nuts
are then carried up by suction to
the shelters beneath which is sorting
apparatus which works almost with
human intelligence, separating the
nuts according to size and dropping
them into carrying belt along
which they pass to sacks, while
dozen W pmen pick the imperfect
kernels from amongst them.
The shelled nuts for the present
will be sold to confectioners orders
having already been placed with a
Boston house for delivery in March.
Later they will be made into oil and
other by-products of which the hogs
and cattle feed and fertilizers from
the hulls and cake after the oil has
been pressed from the kernels, dye
from the hulls and many and varied
from theh ulls and many and varied
other products and by-products. The
uses of the oil are similar to cotton
seed oil, but it is of higher quality.