The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
GRAIN FUEL IN THE VEST.
FARMERS Find Corn. Oats. and wheat Cheaper
Than Coal or Wood.
From the Chicago Record.

From the Chicago Record.
The long cold winter of the DaKotas and
eastern Montana has developed many new
ideas In regard to where the future supply OF
fuel for the prairie farmer and other individ-
uals Of that section must come from. and II is
now quite definitely settled that such supply
sooner or later must be raised upon the farm.
for the farmer who does not own any timber
finds that his fuel In one winter is n very
costly item, wood being nywhere fro N So TO
So a cord. Wien the farmer lives away from
the timber belt the supply must come BY rail,
whether he purchases wood or coal. Both are
have ready money. In fact, large numbers of
farmers can afford barely enough fuel to keep
their houses in a semi-comfortable state.
The people are hardly TO blame in under
going suffering for the sake of saving expense.
but 1t has BROUGHT them to a sense OF prac-
tical realization that in the future something
must he done to furnish cheaper fuel. That
this will be the next stem In domestic econ
doubt. In the county OF Lyon many people
acting in line with the ideas here expressed
and they report II a much greater success than
they had reason TO anticipate: They ARE so de-
lighted with II that they will henceforth use no
other fuel. II gives out a very strong, regu-
lar heat. as does good hard wood. I'D It lasts
nearly as long. The maximum limits; how:
obtained. as the methods Of burning IL are as
yet very crude. There can he no doubt. how
ever. that inventors nys n % VII u be cr sGTsi to the
perfect corn stove or special furnace which will
answer he usual reouirements. As soon as
pared TO take advantage OF the dement's may
cultivate their own fuel on their own land
tons OF corn would be equivalent to about one
cord of hard wood II the corn wero burned
economically. and corn for fuel would not need
grown for food. The stalks can be burned
also, which gives a much greater amount of
into short lengths and the remnants tightly
packed together, having the sppearance OF
produce a bot fire and 10 last long in a stove or
furnace. But they will certainly nav for tho
labor by giving In return a very hot fire.
diving away. for the people are realizing that
for that purpose as well as to use as n cereal
product; Could the people use wood o. coal
would do il, but as they cannot they have no
scruples Of conscience about burning either.
value is extortei from them.
many persons have tried the sx oeriment OF
burning oats and wheat. Both OF these grains
are reported as making most excellent substi;
tutes for wood. the chief difficulty experienced
being the trouble of putting mn the, fuel IN small
AMI compact form convenient for handling ana
bourd. together IN small bundles or ',lors, SO
$40 ssto"fs Tor fuel in a Winter. Most ali Of i goes to
RAILROADS or sVhulcates' anu no ono ll,no J.
could have saved $50 bv using corn. oats. or
wheat for, fuel. or all three. So he saves by
turning his labor into money and keeping his
money at home to meet other expenses.
Though tho raising OF his fuel may have ,ost
him some time he finds that he has been'the
gamer, and the actual cash outlay has been
possibly n OF to exceed SIS in all.
Up TO the present time it Is only tho farmer
and the frugal Individual who have made a
study OF fuel economy who are trying the plan
OF raising their. own fuel. hut experiments
DFO Ee that H. VIII lie A RurcRSR. IheHD oil ia
about the only thing that might make competi.
ton against grain, but II is scarcely possible
for oil ever 10 become cheap enough. The
competition will likely he between grains,
and. OF course, tho best fuel for the least
money will win. But It Is now predicted with