Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1894 — The Peanut of Commerce. [ARTICLE]

The Peanut of Commerce.

According to the United States Consul at Marseilles the ever-popular but humble peanut is an important article of food and commerce in France. ‘ The best nuts,” he says, “yield about 50 per cent, of oil in weight at the first crushing, and from 12 to 13 at the second. The oil is worth in Marseilles from nearly $9 to over $lB per quintal. This oil is largely devoted to the manufacture of white soap. It is also used as food, principally, however, on salads, and as one of the constituents of margarine. ” Another use of the oil is for illuminating purposes. It is reported to be a “very good” illuminating fluid. The crushed meal is used for stock f ed. The shells alone have no market value. The nuts sell in the Marseilles market for about $ i to $6.37 for 2-5 ’ ounds. Th s s another industry which the South is neg ecting, and which appears to be important enough to demand attention. France alone imported 300,000,000 pounds of “goobers” last year.