Evening star., 1897-06-05
GRAIN FUEL IN THE NORTHWEST.
1t IL Likely to Supplant Wood and
Coal I'm the Future.

Coal I'm the Future.
Minnesota Letter in the Chicago Record.
The long, cold winter of this northwest
section, particularly of the Dakotas and
eastern Montana, has developed many new
| ideas in regard to where the future sup
ply of fuel for the prairie farmer and other
| individuals of that section must come from,
and 1t is now quite definitely settled that
such supply sooner OF later mus. be RAISED
upon the farm. for the farmer who does
not own any timber finds that his fuel in
one winter is very costly item, wood be-
ing anywhere from Sc to IS a cord. When
| the farmer lives away from the timber belt
| the supply must come by rail, whether he
purchases wood coal Both are very
expensive, and this year few farmers have
ready money. In fact. large numbers OF
farmers can afford barely enough fuel
to keep their houses in semi-comforta-
BILE state.
The people are hardly to blame in under
going suffering for the sake of saving eX-
pense but it mas brought them to sense
of practical realization that in the future
something must be done 10 furnish cheap
er fuel. That this will be the next step
in domestic economy with them there can
scarcely be any doubt. In this county OF
Lyon many people, acting in line with the
ideas here expressed. have been experiment.
ing with corn for fuel. and :hey report it
| a much greater success than they had rea-
son to anticipate They are SO delighted
with it that they will hencaforth use no
other fuel. 1t gives out a very strong, reg
ular heat, as does good hardwood, and IL
lasts nearly as long. The maximum limits,
however, would be far better than any re-
suits yet obtained, as the methods Of burn
ing it are yet very crude. There can
be no doubt, however, that inventors will
be equal to the emergency and in due time
create a nearly perfect corn stove Oh
special furnace which will answer the
"A &
farmers and others who are prepared tc
take advantage Of the benefits may culti-
vate their own fuel on. their own land and
probably save so per cent by doing SO.
Two tons of corn would De equivalent to
about one cord of hardwood, Il the corr
were burned economically. and corn for
fuel would not need. by any means, the
care that it would when grown for food.
The stalks and blades of corn can be burn
ed also. which gives much greater
amount of fuel to the acre. They would
need to be cut into short lengths and the
remnants packed tightly together, having
the appearance of good-szad sticks of
wood, in order for them to produce a hot
fire and to last long in a stove furnace.
But they win certainly pay for the labor
by giving in return a very hot fire.
The prejudice and squeamishress for
merly existing against the use of grain for
fuel are fast dying away. for the people
are realizing that grain is one of natures
fuels. and was intended for that purpose
as well as TO use as a cereal product
Could the people use wood or coal for food
there is not much doubt that they would
40 1t, but as they cannot they have 10
scruples of conscience about burning
either. So will the cereals be regarded
when every value is extorted from them.
Besides burning corn regularly for fuel
many persons have tried the experiment
of burning oats and wheat Both of these
grains are reported making NEST excel
lent substitutes for wood. the chef difficult
ty experienced being the trouble of putting
up the fuel in small and compact form
convenient for handling and burning Oat
straw or straw wheat may be bound to-
gether in small bundles or logs" SO as to
last for considerable time. AS it is now
pays out $50 for fuel in winter Almcs.
all of 1t goes to railroads or syndicates, and
no one in the vicinity is prof1.ed by tt In
all probability he could have saved $50 by
using corn, oats or wheat for fuel or oil
three. So he saves by turning his labor
into money and keeping his money at home
to meet other expenses. Though the rails
time, he finds that he has been the gamer,
ard the actual cash outlay has been pos
sibIy not to exceed s. in all.
Up to the present time it is only the
farmer and the frugal individual who have
made study of fuel economy who are
trying the plan of raising their own fuel
but experiments prove that it will be a sue
cess. Cheap oil is about the only thing
that might make competition against
grain, but 1t is scarcely possible for oil to
ever become cheap enough The competf-
uon Will likely be between grains and of
course, the best fuel for the least money
Will win. But 1T is now predicted with cer-
tainty that the era of grain fuel is near at
hand.