82 BULLETIX 1401, XT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGBICTTLTTTBE 
The Japanese are shrewd business men. and directly following the 
war handled a considerable share of the export traffic in Chinese 
peanuts, as well as the trade in Japanese-grown stock. Much of 
the peanut and peanut oil business in Shantung fell into the hands 
of Japanese traders as the successors of the Germans at Tsingtau, 
and large quantities of both oil and nuts were exported to the United 
States by way of Kobe. Japan. As a result. Kobe became one of 
the leading oriental peanut and peanut-oil markets, and the center 
in Japan of the importation, shelling, grading, and reexportation of 
Chinese goods. During the past few years, however, a great increase 
has been noted in the shipments made direct from Chinese ports, 
notably Tsingtam and Kobe has been much less prominent in the 
peanut industry than formerly. 
ASIATIC PEANUTS IX THE EXITED STATES 
Following the armistice, high prices prevailing in American 
markets brought in a heavy influx of Asiatic goods. The low prices 
at which they were sold made the use of shelled oriental peanuts 
general west of the Mississippi. In addition, oriental peanuts were 
found in many of the leading consuming markets of the country and 
sold for the same purposes as Virginias — to be used in the manufacture 
of peanut candy, peanut butter, salted peanuts, and the like. Xot 
only were unshelied oriental peanuts dominant in the vending trade 
west of the Continental Divide, but some importers are reported to 
have treated bleached Japanese peanuts with marble dust and chalk 
and sold them in eastern markets. Even before the war the peanut 
needs of the West for Virginia-type stock were very largely taken 
care of by oriental goods. 
The tremendous receipts of Asiatic peanuts and peanut oil caused 
widespread alarm among the southern peanut growers and shippers. 
At then insistence, a tax of 3 cents per pound on peanuts, both sheUed 
and unshelied. and 26 cents per gallon on peanut oil, was included hi 
the emergency tariff act. effective on May 27. 1921. The previous 
import duty had been three-eighths cent per pound on unshelied and 
three-fourths cent per pound on shelled peanuts, and 6 cents per 
gallon on peanut oil. The importation of oriental peanuts and 
especially of peanut oil was greatly restricted by the imposition of 
this duty. 
The duties prescribed by the emergency bill continued until 
September 21. 1922. when the present tariff act became effective. 
As provided in this bill, peanuts coining into the country now carry 
a duty of 3 cents per pound on unshelied and 4 cents per pound on 
shelled peanuts. The peanut oil duty is now 4 cents per pound. 
Compared with net imports, mostly shelled, of 131.724.212 pounds 
for the fiscal year 1920. net imports of peanuts had fallen to 10,616,864 
pounds by the fiscal year ended June 30. 1922, although the following 
fiscal year they advanced to over 45,000,000 pounds, and during the 
fiscal year 1924 to over 50.000,000 pounds. In the same way. net 
imports of peanut oil. which had reached a total of 165.390.713 
pounds (equal to 2,757 carloads of 60,000 poimds each) in the fiscal 
year 1920. had fallen to 2.650.27S pounds (about 44 carloads) during 
the year ended June 30. 1922. In the following fiscal year they 
increased to 7.500,000 pounds, and in the year ended June 30, 1924,, 
to more than 10,000,000 pounds. 
