Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-09-27

agricultural department at Hoopstou,
H., have brought to light another inn
portant commercial factor in the form
of a waste product which can be sue
| cessfully and at small cost manufact-
ured into a staple commodity. The ex-
periments now being prosecuted nave
proved beyond doubt that the large
quantities of corn cobs which are
hauled out on farm lands each season
by corn canning factories can be con-
verted into alcohol in sufficient guam
titles to justify the erection of a dis
| tilling plant in connection with the
cannery.
Acting upon the suggestion of the
ofhcers OF the Illinois Canning CON-
pany to provide all necessary equip
ment for carrying on the experiment
the agricultural department of Wash
ington sent two expert chemists to
doopston, who have been engaged in
making chemical deductions. Simple
methods of fermentation have been
employed and the yield in alcohol
shows strong elexen gallons to the
ton of green cobs. The same methods
employed in handling the cobs have
been applied to the juice extracted
from the corn stalk and show there
are six gallons to the ton.
These experiments, while not exact
ly in harmony with the previous ex-
periments carried on by the depart
ment at Washington, are sufficiently
near to denote the possibilities OF
converting a-waste product into
| marketable commodity. At different
times during the last twenty-five
years the department has conducted
experiments along the same line. but
with common field corn. These tests
snow that there are 240 pounds of
fermentable substance in a ton of
green field corn stalks, which will
yleld about half their weight In abso-
lutte alcohol In round numbers a ton
OF stalks will produce 100 pounds of
alcohol of 200 pounds of proof spirits.
AS gallon of alcohol weighs nearly
seven pounds, there should be fifteen
gallons OF alcohol in ton of corn
stalks.
Sweet Corn Stalks Better.
1t is the generally accepted theory
that sweet corn stalks contain a lar
ger percentage of alcohol than the
common field corn, although the ex-
periments at the cannery did not
prove this to be the case. However
there are other features in connection
with a eanuipo actabl;cbrooo+ ,uL:L
make possible the quantity expected
ty the department
Not only are the cobs a waste pro-
duct, but the irregular and spoiled
ears as well. Hand labor is yet en-
ployed in husking, and all ears are
put in, as the wage scale is based up-
on measure. These measures are
Iemptied upon conveyor and the
ears unfit for canning are culled as
they go by. These culled ears are also
waste. The expense in bringing them
TO the point where they are culled and
cast aside is quite as great as with
perfect ears. The addition of the corn
on the cob adds further to the posi-
bilities as to the amount of alcohol
obtainable from ton of cobs and will
have its influence In bringing the
quantity to greater figure.
The discovery is very important
one which tends to further increase
the list of agricultural products from
which alcohol may be obtained. Some
idea may be gained of the great
waste to the Gamers by a short re-
view of the output of the canneries
OF the United States. Statistics show
that the average pack of corn for the
past ten years has been 6.O94446
cases. In each case there are twenty
four pounds of actual sweet corn. II
Is estimated that there are $50 pounds
OF corn in ton as it was hauled in
tout of the fiald with the husks on.
The remainder is waste. OF this waste
$50 are husks and the remaining 75O
pounds represent the cobs in a ton
The pack of 1905 was the largest in
the history of the business. 1t amount.
ed to 13,41S,665 cases. With these
figures 1t is not a difficult matter to
determine the enormous waste that
the packer must suffer. Figuring
eleven gallons of alcohol to the ton
of cobs gives some. idea of the amount
of alcohol which could be extracted
from this waste and converted into a
marketable article at small expense
Would Mean Better Corn.
The converting of this vast into
alcohol would mean a better grade of
corn at lower price and set a stand.
ard which would be quite generally
adhere to, especially by the larger
PACKERS. The corn packing capacity of
the United States is equal to Is 900.
600 cases. BY converting all of tho
coos into alcohol there would in all
probability be better corn packed. a
higher standard raised, fewer chemi.
Gals used and flavor more akin 70
fresh corn than the present pacl
More corn and less chicken feed.
should be the result.
what the cost Of attaching a dis.
uhing plant to the packing plant
would be has not been determined
me actual expense of distilling the