Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-14
WEALTH IN CORNC0BS
ONE TON WILL MAKE ELEVEN
GALLONS OF ALCOHOL.
New Industry Being Developed by tho
Department Of Agriculture-Re-
suit of Experiments.

In the manufacture of alcohol from corn
cobs and cornstalks. at small cost. the De-
partment of Agriculture Is developing a
new industry that the department says is
likely to be of large commercial value. In
designations which the department is max
ing at Hoopeston, ILL.,, have proved that
the large quantities OF corncobs which
every year heretofore have gone to waste.
can be converted into alcohol in sufficient
quantities to justify the erection Of a dis
filling plant in connection with a corn can
merry.
Result of Experiments.
The Department Of Agriculture sent two
chemists to Hoopeston to make experiments
at a large cannery there. They have sue
ceeded by simple methods Of fermentation
In getting a yield Of eleven gallons of alco-
hol from a ton Of green cobs, and, by SINH
lar methods, in getting six gallons of alco-
hol from ton of green corn stalks. A
statement concerning the experiments by
one of the scientists of the department
reads:
"At different times during the past
twenty-five years the department has con-
Quoted experiments along the same line.
but with common field cornstalks. These
tests show that there are 24O pounds of
fermentabe substance in a ton of green
field cornstalks. which will yield about half
OF their weight In absolute alcohol. In
round numbers ton of stalks will produce
100 pounds of alcohol or 200 pounds of proof
spirits. AS a gallon Of alcohol weighs near
ly seven pounds, there should be fifteen gal
Ions of alcohol in a ton Of stalks.
mot only are the cobs a waste product,
but the irregular and spoiled ears of corn
as well. Hand labor Is as yet employed
In the husking, and all ears are put in as
the wage Is based upon a measure full.
AS the measures Of ears are emptied upon
the conveyors. the ears unfit for use are
culled as they go by. These culled ears are
also waste. The expense Of bringing them
to the point where they are cast aside is
quite as much as the perfect ears. The ad-
dition of the corn on the cob adds further
to the possibilities of alcohol obtainable
from ton of cobs and win have its in
fiuence in bringing the quantity to great
er figure"
Cost of Distilleries.
It has become quite a habit with manu-
facturers In various lines to attach subsid-
larry plants to their factories to recover
and utilize otherwise waste products. What
the expense Of attaching a distilling plant
to packing house would be has not yet
been determined, but the actual expense of
distilling the alcohol from corncobs should
not be greater than cents gallon. As the
cobs are now a waste product and an ex-
pense to dispose of, the cost of the raw
material should not be large. A molasses
diStilling plant with capacity of 10000
gallons daily costs about $4,000, but it is
thought that smaller plant would do for
ties that apply to distilling connected with
corn packing plant would obtain in the
use of tomato parings. pea hulls, banana
rinds and many other articles Of vegetable
refuse. It Is even possible at a small cost
to remodel brandy still SO that it can be
used for brandy during the fruit season
and for the remainder OF the year for man
ufacturing alcohol for use in the arts.