Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 106, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1910 — BIG DEMAND FOR PEANUTS. [ARTICLE]

BIG DEMAND FOR PEANUTS.

Wo Don’t Grow Enough nt Homo and Buy in Foreign Und>. Bo the people of this country like peanuts? Well, If consumption is an indication of taste we should unhesitatingly decide that Americans are fond of them. For Instance, the figures show that last year we imported from Japan alone very nearly 5,000,000 pounds of the nuts. We also received some from Spain, though we have not the figures, and probably some from 4>ther European countries. These figures of foreign receipts, it must be remembered are merely given to- show that the demand foif the little nbts is greater than the home product can sugply. In the southern United States peanut growing is a recognized industry, the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser says. In some of them It is an Important one, and In Virginia and the Carollnas It Is almost a dominating industry. In fact the devptkm of Vlrginlans and Carolinians to the culture —-and consumption, by the way—of the palatable and desirable groundpea Is among their distinguishing characteristics. Many Jokes and pert paragraphs are written about peanut growing-in those states, but_when we get down to solid facts we are bound to feel that there’B much more than a joke In it. “Take It altogether,” remarks a contemporary, “the American consumption of the product reaches a very considerable figure. Its good service as fogji has come to be generally recognized only of comparatively recent times, butj.now we are wise enough to put it to a variety of food uses. Some question has been raised as to the practicability of relying upon the Japanese peanut, with the possibility of deterioration on the long journey over. But of that country’s exportation last year we took nearly four-fifths.” There Is no good .reason why we Americans should feel In any degree dependent on the Japanese for our supply of this food. If they can ue -brought to us In sound and wholesome condition there’s nothing wrong in their Importation, Just as we import muoh other foodstuffs from for,eign lands. At the same time, ourown people can raise all that Is needed at home and much more, if they desire. The general knowledge of their value is becoming universal, and as that knowledge increases we may expect production to keep up with the demand. As a matter of fact, the peanut has about ceased to be used to express smallness and Insignificance, for it has ■ grown out of - that by a long way.