The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-10
kAFFIR CORN wine
Kansas May Become a Factor in
Distilling.
Kafflr Corn Furnishes Fine
High Wines.
GLUCOSE AND STARCH
Also Extracted Successfully
From This Product.
Successful Experiments Have
Already Been Made.

Kansas stands chance of getting in
to the list of states which are factors IL
the manufacture of whisky and wines
despite the fact that the state, in theory
at least, is a prohibition state
This new industry is open to Kansas
because successful experiments in man
ufacturing whisky from KafFir corn have
already been made by a diStillery at Pc
oria, ILL.,, Information concerning which
is obtained in a letter from w. Nc
Donald of Highlands, N. J., written to
one of the state departments. THE first
experiment in manufacturing from Kan
sas grown Kaff1r corn were made by a
Kentucky distiller, near Lexington, ;
writes Mcdonald, but the latest and
most promising experiments were made
at Peoria, ILL.,, where a brewery has sue
ceeded in obtaining a fine quality of
high wine
These experiments conducted at Pc
oria obtained from the Kaif1r corn a
small per cent more of the necessary
spirits than can be obtained from the
highest grade Of Indian corn. The only
obstacle in the way of Kafffr corn be-
coming in this manner an important
commodity is that it is not now in the
general markets 1t is raised only in
small quantities in the west and a sup
ply sufficient for the use proposed by
brewers can not now be obtained. The
use of Kaffir corn for whisky or wines
in the machinery now in use in brew
cries or diStilleries, but the expense
would not be large, if it were possible to
obtain the corn at a reasonable price.
AS matters now stand the lack Of the
corn prevents extensive experiments.
Il have made some investigation of
this subject, both east and west, and
find that the brewers agreed in the opin-
ion that the Kafhr corn would furnish
a superior quality of wine, but they do
not now desire to attempt a general
movement looking toward this branch Of
manufacture until the farmers grow
quantities of the corn sufficient to guar
antee that the supply will meet the de-
mand. Some experiments have been
made to test the property of this Kaffir
corn for the manufacture of glucose and
starch.
THE simple experiments which have
been made up to this time prove con-
clusively that the Kaffir corn is superior
to any of the products now used in the
making of these commodities.
1T has been proven beyond peradven-
ture that the Kaffir corn is valuable for
these three purposes and it is also one
of the best fora geS that can be used for
cattle However, the farmers of the
west make no attempts to grow more
than small patches of it in unused cor
nerS Of their fields. The western farmer
does not know the value of this crop.
Neither does the average farmer under
stand the possibilities of the prices for
surplus OF this crop. With the new
fields which have been opened for this
product it will prove, when 1t is re-
that kaf1r corn is a great money maker
for the farmers. 1t is one of the hest
crops to be grown where dry weather is
likely to be experienced because it
stands drouth better than any of the
kindred crops