Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-11-15
CORN USED AS FUEL.
THE IMMENSE CROP MAY CAUSE 1T
TO BE BURNED.

Big Crop Means Small Prices-Relative
verse Opinions of Different Authorities
as to Its Feasibility.
Making all allowances for damages to
the corn crop during August, the yield
will probably aggregate at least 2, 300, OOO-
600 bushels. The largest previous yields
were 1000, 1874 600 bushels in 1891 and
2, 1l2, S02, 900 bushels in1SS9. Much has
been heard lately of how greatly such II
crop will enrich the farmer and country,
but the more enthusiastic prophets have
overlooked the question of price. 1t often
happens in proof of IN old economic DEM
onstration, that shSH crops will bring
larger aggregate money return than big
crop. Tho unprecedented corn yield of
1889 had farm value much less than the
short corn crop Of 1890 or of 1892. Tho
present enormous yield promises to have
an aggregate value to the farmer no great
er than that of 1899. The December OPP
ton at Chicago is now down to about ~
cents bushel, which is the level touched
for that month in 1889.
Corn at 81 cents at Chicago means
price of only about IL or IA cents to the
farmer in the central corn section of Kan
sas, and out away from the railroad CEN
tiers it means Is price that will pay the
farmer better not to sell. Consequently u
discussion has arisen as to the relative
merits of corn and coal as fuel. Corn at
IA cents bushel would cost less than 81
ton, and hard coal in tho region beyond
the Missouri river will cost from So to 50
a ton. 1t is asserted Tat an equal weight
of corn on the cob will yield moro heat
thanscoal, and it is besides cleaner to han
die and almost smokeloss. A prominent
operator on the Chicago board of trade,
Says the Chicago Tribune has offered a
$40, forfeit if he could not furnish corn
for fuel to one of the elevated roads there
at less cost than that Of its coal supply.
By actual test, says this man, it has been
found that u ton Of corn will yield % per
cent moro heat than ton Of coal. And
If, -ho asks, corn could be used economical
ly for fuel in Chicago, what is to be said
of its superior economy in western Kansas
and Nebraska?
So much for that side of the question.
Inquiries made in the PARKWAY corn sec
tions, however, yield responses not as ia
vorable to this kind of fuel. 1t is often
burned by farmers in the interior, ana yet
experience does not increase its popularity
and farmers prefer to sell corn at almost
any price than to burn it. For producing
steam says a Wichita (Kan.) correspond
ent, corn is not ut all feasible as a fuel.
1t burns out iron rapidly, as it produces
intense heat. Even in stoves few of them
in which corn is used ms fuel last more
than season. Fircmen who have used
corn say that it requires constant feeding
to keep up that steady heat required for
tho making of steam. From various sec
tions come reports that little or no corn
has boon used regularly for fuel except in
extreme cases, although it is said there is
no more pleasant fire to sit by than II
corn fire. The manager of a package plant
at Wichita, however, says that if corn fell
to IL cents a bushcl there equivalent to %
cents ut Chicago they will use it for fuel
in their business, as it will be cheaper than
coal.-SpringliSld Republican,