The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-12-07
Sweet Potato Starch.

| TtCF Lie SuUscJlDcr mas read ana
reads with a great deal of interest all
that appears IN your paper about
planting wheat. Four farmers, if not
more, in this Immediate community
are going to plant soiue Two acres each.
| You are doing the State "A great
benefit by SO thoroughly airing the
subject. Indeed you have been
rather the pioneer in the State
in the way of rcjuyenatiug old
and introducing new farm crops aud
other neglected industries.
The necessity is upon South Caro-
lima farmers Us never was before, Of
mending their farming ways. They
are in front Of veritablc sea, there
are mountains on either side aud a
host of creditors behind They must
cross the sea and must settle honora-
bly, with their creditors
How are they to do it? By curtail-
ing cotton acreage? Yes, but what
shall be planted on the part cut off?
Wheat is all well enough, but money
crop is wanted Of size to which the
wheat crop will not reach.
Now, the writer is going to risk
your wrath in naming crop W ich he
has before brought 10 your notice, and
product to be made from il: sweet
potatoes and sweet potato starch He
remembers you commented very favor
ably on the matter of his letter, aud
some correspondence with promoters
resulted, which is still going on.
With your permission he will now
state again some facts in connection
with the crop. 1t has been discover
cd recently that the sweet potato is
rich in starch, enough so to make it {.
suitable raw product for the CONNER
cial manufacture of starch. You no
doubt remember that our mothers
made starch in primitive way from
the sweet potato during the war
The project is still in embryo com
paratively. There arc yet one or two
points 10 be settled by factory promo
ters. Only one immediately concerns
the farmer The Others are for the
other party, that is the ma nufacturer,
and it is we'll to add that experiments
arc now being conducted that arc cx-
rccted to settle conclusivcly by their
determinations these points.
The one farmers must settle is, can
they raise sweet potatoes IL such
quantity and at such price as will
supply factory? 1t is this question
the Sriter wants you to push home to
tne farmers of the State.
The price which is proposed now to
be paid by the factory is 20 cents per
bushel. Now can the farmers do it?
It would be well for you to get some
practical farmer, one who works and
fertilizes we'll to make a calculation
of the cost Of an acre Of cotton and
one of sweet potatoes.
Let us just now only take for exam
pie an acre Of ground which will make
a bale of cotton. This bale of cotton
let us put at $25, and just now that
VIII include val of lint and seed.
Now how many bushels of potatoes
can be made on an acre Of similar
ground; 200 bushels-S40; 300 bush
els-$60; 400 bushels $50?
Now on an acre Of ground so fertil-
lied and cultivated as to make bale
Of cotton 400 bushels Of Southern
Queen sweet potatoes can be raised.
Of course, all land will not make that
many, neither will all land make a
bale OF cotton or yellow wrapper to-
bacco, or 30 bushels of wheat, but ii
will do for calculating comparative
cost and proceeds. In this calcula-
tion one must take into consideration
the danger to any crop from the cle-
mcnts, except potatoes. Hail can't
hurt them, wind can't, storms of rain
cannot, earthquake will only loosen
the soil SO they can grow bigger.
Now, it has been determined that the
most prolific varieties arc the best
adapted to the purpose, wonderful
providence, indeed. It will take from
500 to 1000 bushels per day to run
factory. \ small factory to use 500
! bushels per day will cost about $S, 900;
90 use 1000, about $3.50 To run
four months, daily capacity 500 bush
els, will take 800 acres, making 200
bushels per acre; $50 acres making
400 bushels. A first.class ginnery
will cost $500.
Yet many individual men buy and
operate such and count themselves
lucky to make it pay for itself in two
| nv k1-oo x,oo..