Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-08-10
FARM AND PRESIDE.


One of tho most important manufactured
products OF the small country towns OF
New England and New York State is pots-
10 starch, and although the total quantity OF
potatoes consumed in the manufacture OF
the article is relatively but a small portion
of the entire crop of the United States,
which is estimated at 15O, 900, 900 bushels an
nually, yet The amount Of capital represent
ed by the potato starch industry is by no
means Insignificant, and its yearly produce
tion in tons is frequently estimated by five
figures, and in dollars by seven. 1t is be-
lieved that nearly 8, 00O,0 900 bushels OF po-
taloes are frequently consumed per year In
the States of Maine, New Hampshire, YER
mont and New York in the production Of
potato starch. This amount Is three-eighths
as large as the total potato crop Of Maine,
three. fOurths as large as that Of New Hamp-
shire, three.fflhs as large as that of Yer
mont, one-tenth as large as that of York
State, of about the same magnitude as that
of Massachusetts,, and much larger than
the crops of Connecticut and Rhode Island.
STARCH FACTORIES.
There are about DDS factories engaged in
the manufacture Of potato starch, and prob
ably all of them, with one or two excep-
tons are located in the State OF New York,
Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
The factories are usually situated at dis
lance from railroads, as farmers only dis
pose OF their potatoes TO the starch manu-
facturers when they cannot be sent profit
ably TO market, potatoes being worth from
IN n TX oonia lose nor hnahal a . m Material for
starch making than as an article for food.
Probably the average price paid for pota-
toes by starch manu- fscturers during the
past season has been 80 cts. per bushel.
The man factories are only operated about
three months in year-October, Novem-
Der and December. They are usually small,
employing not more than half dozen men
each, but the aggregate annual production
of all the factories il usually from 5000 TO
1000 tons. A bushel of potatoes generally
makes eight pounds of starch, $50 bushels
therefore being required for ton. AS the
average market quotation of potato starch
is about 8 cents per pound, it follows that a
bushel of potatoes brings only 40 cents af-
ter being converted into starch, and the
value of the total production of potato
starch in the country is from 100000 TO
S1,2OO,0OO per annum.
PROCESS OF MAKING.
The process of making potato starch is
very simple. The mills are generally so
constructed that the potatoes can be brought
directly in large quantities into the second
story, and dumped into great bins below.
After being thoroughly washed by means
of revolving cylinder, with projecting
arms, the potatoes are crushed in clear
cold water, and the starch resulting, to-
gether with the water drips through a sieve
in a thick, cream-like stream, into watts be-
low. The refuse matter of skins, etc., or
pumace as it is called, is carried down the
stream. When the starch is settled, and
has been washed once or twice, it is dried
by stoves, packed in bags and is ready fol
the market. The starch is manufactured
during the fall aud winter months of the
year, as 1t is necessary that the water USED
should be cold. Warm water would caust
the starch to ferment.
THE CONSUMERS.
Cotton manufacturers consume nearly al
the starch manufactured. 1t is used fol
sizing cotton cloth, and is the principal ma
terial employed for that purpose; other va
rieties of starch perform the work less sat
isfactorily. Wheat starch, which is made
principally in the West, is used in bleach
cries and print works in finishing cloth
but Is rarely used for sizing, being to-
strong for the purpose. Corn starch, whic
is the most common variety Of the article
in use in this country, is employed TO linn
tied extent for sizing, to very great ex
tent for laundry purposes, and in some de
gree as an article of food. 1t is considers
bly, less valuable than potato starch but ii
manufacture is carried on in a much NOR
pretentious manner. Two of the cor
starch factories of the United States ION
located at Oswego, N. Y, and the other
Glen Cove, L. H. produce annually an ay
erage Of 2O,OOOOOO pounds each. All of th
starch used in this country is manufacture
here, none being Imported. The produt
tion of potato starch in Vermont aud Ne
Hampshire is decreasing, but in Maine
is undergoing considerable increase, an
quite number of new factories were star
ed the past season.-C Commercial Bulletin.