Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-11
More Planted in Germany Proportion
ately Than Anywhere.
DIsTILLATIoN BY THE FARMERS
Attempts in France to Stimulate the
MISUNDERSTANDING Result
of Experiments.

alcohol and any other Sort except that the
denatured variety Is mixed with some sub
stance rendering 1t unfit to drink, usually
bone oil or some of the pyridin bases. The
Department of Agriculture is now at work
on a pamphlet giving all the facts that
can be collected about denatured alcohol
as a source of light. heat and power, and
has Prof. Charles Lucke of Columbia Uni
versity at work on the subject from the
standpoint of its use in small internal COM
bustion motors of all Sorts
The Department of Commerce and La
Dor has just received two reports on the
subject of denatured alcohol abroad. one
from Consul Gen. Thackara of Berlin and
the other from Consul Gen. Frank Mason
of Paris. Both of these reports are quite
full and furnish a good deal of interesting
Information.
Potato Raising in Germany.
In Germany in 1903 there were S,195 AZ
acres planted in potatoes. from which were
produced 4S,323 ,353 metric tons, or 1.11o,-
5T90T3 bushels of sixty pounds each, which
was an average of 21I bushels to the acre.
With the exception of the year 1901, which
was specially favorable for the cultivation
of the potato, this crop exceeds all previous
years. The average price of potatoes dur
ing the campaign year 1904-O5 was 425S
marks (Sl013) per 1000 kilograms (2,204.6
DOunuSD or 40 cents per DuSHei, WiIiCii
would make the value of the German potato
crop of that year S490,059,9iS.
In 1904 the potato crop of the United
States was placed at 30, $40. 300 bushels, of
a farm value of S150.6I3,3 92 or 4o.2 cents per
bushel. According to DR.. w. Behrens. one
of Germany's experts. in 1901, out of the
6J.0D,OO0 acres of arabic land S1OOOU
acres or 12la per cent. were planted IN
potatoes. The doctor claims that Germany
plants more potatoes, in proportion to its
area and number of inhabitants, than any
other civilized country.
The most important ways in which the
potato is utilized In Germany are: For hui
man food, for fodder for animals, in the
Industrial arts for the distillation of alco-
hol. and for the manufacture of starch.
starch products. such starch sugar,
starch syrup, dextrin. etc. The best grades
are used for eating, the next best for fod
der. and the lowest grades for the distilla-
tion of alcohol.
Production of Alcohol.
Potatoes lead in the production of alcohol
In Germany. the proportion being about g.
OO0OO0 hectoliters from potatoes, 100000
from grain. $4,000 from molasses and So
90 from other sources. The total annual
consumption for the past five years has
ranged from OO,OOO,OOO to 1O7 900. 900 gal
Ions. The potato produces gallon of al
cohol from about one and a quarter bushels
of the tubers.
In f9O4-5 there were 72.172 alcohol distil-
leries in operation. of which 6.O4S farm dis
tilleries and p Industrial distilerieS used
potatoes; 7.62D farm diStillerieS and $50
Industrial distilleries used grain: 80 dlstil-
leries used other materials p used molas-
ses and 81 633 small farm distilleries, called
Materialbrennereien,' used fruit, wine.
etc
Distilleries for taxation purposes are divid-
ed into three classes-industrial distilleries,
solely for manufacturing purposes: the ag-
ricultural distilleries. where the raw ma
fArt aI rSad lie on he nuynn 70 nm
and the distilleries using fruit. berries and
wine lees. The taxes are graded, the agri-
cultural distilleries being the most lightly
taxed and plants of less than 5.293 gallons
capacity yearly are exempted from distil-
ling tax while all the taxes graded
down so as to bear more lightly the
small producer.
Variation in Production.
The alcohol production of the agrcul-
tural distilleries varies from between 5 and
10 hectoliters Q32 to 264 gallons) OF pure
alcohol to 1900 and 1000 hectoliters C9, 251
to 1O5. 66s gallons) per year. Last year the
smaller plants. the material distilleres,
mainly located In the SchwarZwald, in the
Grand Duchy Of Baden. and in Alsace-Lor-
raine. 57.635 in number. produced together
36431 hectoliters of alcohol (962. 800 gall
lons)- Among them were seven which pro-
duced one-half a hectolter $500 gallons)
Vt, u,
as has been mentioned before. the 6O69
potato distilleries produced 76.O1O927 gall
Ions.
In Germany the distillation of alcohol
from potatoes Is one of the most important
branches of agriculture. 1t alone, in some
cases. renders farming pursuits possible in
regions situated at distance from bust
ness centers and possessing light soil, and
many farms owe their existence to their
diStfleries.
The fully denatured alcohol. 10000. 900
gallons. used during 19O4-5 was almost
exclusively employed in producing power
light. and heat. During 18S7-SS the amount
of denatured alcohol consumed only
S.GO0OOO gallons, or. in other words, the
consumption OF alcohol for light. heat and
power purposes in Germany has increased
over seven times In the past seventeen
years.
The use of spirits for driving motors,
lighting rooms and public places cooking
food and producing heat has a great future.
In the United States. where alcohol for use
In the Industries can be produced more
cheaply perhaps than in any country in the
world. the increased consumption of the
spirit which will take place under the pro-
visions of the new law will be Of great
advantage to agriculturists.
Incompletely Denatured Alcohol.
Manufactures. etc, in which .incom plete-
ly denatured' alcohol was used in Germany
during 1SA-5 consumed 3,70O gallons for
brewers varnish. 5000 gallons for rubber
preparations. 6S4. 900 gallons for the manu-
facture or celluloid. 2.536 gallons for max
ing synthetic camphor. 2,131 900 gallons for
sulphuric ether. IA 100 gallons for the man
ufacture of emulsions OF bromide, chloride
and iodide of silver and gelatine, photo
graphic paper. dry mates. etc: 3. 500 gallons
for electrodes for electric storage batteries
n. 100 gallons for acetic ether. $50 gallons
for glucosides. 1.O56 gallons for Japan var
nish. 1850 gallons for surgical dressings
T,A3 gallons for chloroform. 10567 gallon.
for iodoform. 4. $50 gallons for ethyl bro
mide. 14660 gallons for stamping colors
T13 gallons for making ink. 5000 gallons To-
finishing silk bands. l.2I0.O00 gallons TO
varnishes and polishes of different kinds
$3.50 gallons for soap making. d, 100 gal
Ions for the manufacture of lanolin, an,
152o.00O gallons for making chemical prep
arations not otherwise named. and for othe
purposes.
u Test Provided by the Law.
All the denaturing substances have tc
pass through an elaborate test prescribed
by law.
Much. IL not the greater portion. of tbs
partially denatured spirit used by German
manufacturers is denatured In the works In
isvbtcb Ia ACTUALLY au,ployed and fhfs I