The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-10-25
IOWA PRODUCES CHEAP ALCOHOL.
Green Corncobs YieldI.Elevenx GAL
ons To The Ton.

Ames, Iowa., Oct. 1.--Tests which has
been made for the last two months in
the experiment station Of the State
Agricultural college here have proven
that denatured alcohol, for use as fuel,
light and power, at price that will be
considerable lower than that OF gasoline
can be made from green corncobs.
Green corncobs to great quantity
are thrown away every year by can
neries all over the United States.
These were not only waste product
but caused an expense as they soured
and became so offensive it has been
necessary to haul them away.
The tests carried on here show that
there are eleven gallons of alcohol in
each ton of green corncobs. The pro-
cess of distillation is simple. Acoveyer
carries the cobs to grinding machine,
where they are reduced to pulp. This
pulp is mixed with water and then
brought 70 boil. After being boiled a
short time the yeast is put into the
pulp and the whole mass is allowed to
ferment. After that the usual process
of distillation is followed.
The cost of manufacture is shown to
be about cents gallon. Adding the
costs of decentralization and liberal
profit to distiler and retailer, the pro-
duct can be sold for at least as low as 20
cents a gallon, and perhaps for Is to Is
cents.
The significance of these experiments
is readily understood when it is known
that gasoline sells for at least % cents
a gallon. AS an artic e of motive power
power alcohol would compete with
i t. 6;tborfn ocfo h.
lished that gallon Of alcohol will pro-
than gallon of gasoline. Therefore
%, it is manifest the alcohol would be
easily the cheaper. In Germany lamp
is now made for burning alcohol with a
very strong, steady and high-grade
light. Experiments testing this lamp
with the most approved pattern kero-
an equal candle power disclosed that
a gallon of alcohol would keep the
alcohol lamp burning twice as long as
Kerosene. Therefore with kerosene at
as low price as 10 cents, it would be
80 per cent more expensive for lighting
purposes than alcohol made from corn
CODS. ~ OCCh CooiibhcSe
that at % and 80 cents gallon alcohol
could compete with kerosene. Com.
parison with results in foreign countries
shows that nowhere has alcohol beer
produced at so low price as this. lr
France the price has ranged from 80 tc
80 cents, in Italy 80 to IS cents, in Cuba
80 cents, in Germany, y to 20 cents.
Explanation of these higher prices is
found in the fact that in Germany
potatoes are used principally, in France
beets, in Italy grains and in Cubs
molassesais far the cheapest. And YET
the Cubans, with the moasses right OF
their plantations, have not been able t.
bring the selling price below 80.
In Germany, which has, perhaps, de
veloped the denatured alcohol industr,
to the greatest extent, potatoes costing
an average u cents per bushel are uset
for manufacture. In the United State!
the average cost of potatoes has beef
As cents. So if potatoes were to bt
used, it is manifest the cost Of alcoho
would be brought up to double that il
Germany, or over so cents. 1t requires
but 1926 bushels of potatoes to produc1
a gallon of alcohol, as compared with al
most 200 pounds of green corncobs
But the important fact is cobs will cos
practically nothing and potatoes clos
to so cents.
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