Evening star., 1926-03-23
WAR IN CHINA AIDS
PEANUT GROWERS
Briqht-Leaf Tobacco Farm
ers Also Reap Harvest
From Strife.
BY j. G. ROYIE.
special Dispatch to The star.

special Dispatch to The star.
NEW YORK. March 23.-Political
unrest and revolutions in China,
which eliminated Monday in the cap
ture OF Tientsin by the troops Of
Chang Tso-Lin, seem likely to bring
extraordinary profits TO some Ameri-
can farmers. Today the peanut
growers of this country anticipate the
season will yield them more from their
"goobers" than from cotton or other
crops. The growers Of Virginia and
North Carolina are joyous in conse-
Quence.
The farmers say that the buyers of
peanuts have held the threat of for
eign importations over their heads.
declaring in effect that il the growers
did not sell their products at low
price. the mills would bring in Chi
uese nuts. Now, however, recent
Chinese crops are held in the interior.
Political disturbances have cut down
the quantity raised and the move
ments of troops and bandits have
checked shipments. The stocks OF
Chinese nuts available arc small and
the American growers are preparing
to take the attitude of the old song
which says:
when your peanuts are gOne"--that
is, without paying the price.
Advance 25 Per Cent.
1t is possible that unless the mills
pay the price they may have to close
down. Last Fall peanut growers had
to sell their products at unsatisfac-
tory prices. In February nuts were
selling at 3 to cents a pound. Re-
Gently they have advanced around Is
per cent. The growers are preserv
ing an attitude of caution, however.
They got q severe setback in 1925.
when an extremely large crop was
raised, and they will be slow to take
action which might cause a repetition
of such conditions.
Ninety per cent OF the edible pea
nuts in this country are grown IN
Virginia and North Carolina, and the
effect OF the foreign products can be
Judged when it is possible to sell
Chinese nuts in competition with
American nuts in Norfolk and Suf-
folk, the latter the greatest peanut
center of the world.
The average peanut acreage in Vir-
ginia Is about 100000. Last year
13S.000 acres were planted in Nlr-
ginia and 100000 in North Carolina.
hounds and last year 131 100000 in
those States, with total world pro
duction close to 750,000,000 pounds
The 1926 crop will be put in in May
If the Chinese disturbances continue
il is probable growers will plant as
heavily as they did in 1925. If quiet
is restored in the Ffowery Kingdom
many peanut growers will turn to cot
ton instead.
Jumbos Az to 5 Cents.
Henry Taylor, Virginia State crop
statistician, reported today that farm
ers' stocks of nuts were quiet, with
mills buying only to cover sales. Of
ferings are limited and mostly from
warehouse men not farmers. Best
jumbos at country shipping points
are quoted at Az to S cents.
Georgia, Alabama, Florida and
Texas all are heavy producers OF the
runner and Spanish types. which are
somewhat smaller than the Virginia
grade. Peanuts are somehow asso-
cfated with the circus or ball game,
but the loss of all such business would
affect the industry but little.
The principal sales are OF salted
nuts, in the form of peanut butter
and in the form of peanut candy.
ne IdTIilelS SSii AL eAA% N'A'~AA
to cleaners, who in turn distribute
to crushers, salters and confectioners.
Imports have grown to three times
the amount sent here in the pre-war
wears. and most Of these shipments
come in the form of shelled nuts,
since saving in weight and space Is
gained by shipping shelled. About
100 100000 pounds Of nuts were i'm
ported up to last October. The
Chinese nuts come into direct compe-
tition with the Virginia and North
Carolina varieties.
Chinese disturbances have also had
splendid effect on the bright to-
bacco produced in the Carolina sec
ton. Up to last Fall 1t had been
selling around Is cents a pound. but
when the boycott was put on British
tobacco producers by the Chinese It
caused an increased demand for
bright tobaccos from America and
the price shot up to % cents.
Three thousand dogs were exhibited