The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-05-03
THE FUEL SUPPLY
NEAR EXHAUSTION.
Secretary Wilson Ta1ks on Coal and
Wood STORAGE.

pittsburg, Pa, April az Secretary of
Agriculture Wilson spoke before the
Americus Club tonight on the work and
scope of the department of agriculture.
His speech was listened to with inter-
est, and 1t gave to many OF his hearers n
clearer notion than they had ever had
Of the wide ramifcations OF the depart
ment and value Of it's researches to the
American farmer.
Mr.. Wilson argued that the most sue
cessful farming was carried on ny the
men who knew most about the soil, the
plant, the animal and the market, and
told how the national government oper-
ates to spread this intelligence In fields
where the state or the Individual Is un-
able to do the work.
"No more coal Is being made said
Secretary Wilson. "0ur wood fuel Is
getting scarce, and the e'fpply OF miner
al oils will some day ceaee. II is high
time we were looking abeut for sources
Of light, heat and power.a Other conn-
tries are doing this. Alcohol meets the
requirements, and starchy plants yield
alcohol. One of our explorers last year
found the Siberians at Tomsk growing
large variety of potato for the alcohol it
yields. He brought back half ton of
them, which will be distributed this
spring among the experiment stations.
"Tbe Southern cassava, yams and
sweet potatoes will yield alcohol, as will
the sugar beet. Corn cobs give eleven
gallons of alcohol to the ton and sweet
corn stalks seven. Many refuse plants
will be used and much unmarketable |
fruit and vegetable matter. The farm is
ready to supply heat light and power
when other sources fail.
MANY localities in the West suffer |
for fuel in winter when storms are severe
or cars are scarce. We have legisla-
tion to permit the making of alcohol
without payment of taxes when mixed
with something to prevent it's use as
beverage wood alcohol, perhaps. The
time is surely coming when the people
remote from wood, coal or oil will ar
range to grow plants rich in starch for
their supply Of light, heat and power.
"The present inquiry is along the lines
of economical production, as in all new
enterprises. The corn stalks OF the
corn belt that are not used for fodder
would make very large quantities of al
cohol, which would be extracted and the
refuse returned to the sold or used for
feed, to maintain necessary organic mat
ter, alcohol not being fertilizer. The
department of agriculture is experiment
ing along this line, and also with regard
to new devices for burning this new
fuel"
Mr.. Wilson spoke Of the departments
successful efforts to introduce the cam
phor tree, with the result that the
Oriental camphor monopoly is about to
be broken and camphor to be produced
in the South and West.
Cotton Money Crop.
Referring to the pre-eminent import
aDce Of cotton as the money crop Of this
land, Mr.. Wilson said: "At one time it
was thought the whole important sea ,
island cotton industry would be swept 4
away by disease. The departments I
experts entered the field, developed {
disease resistant cotton by breeding and
selection, and re-established the indus
try. In all the South where the boil
weevil is now working the department
Is striving to secure varieties that will
be SO early as to produce crops despite
the weevil. We are succeeding In this
and are distributing new types Of cotton
to those already In existence, !,
and which will mature ahead Of the
weevil.
"One of the greatest lines OF propa
yanda work the department is carrying
IN is in the South In connection with the c
cotton boil weevil. When the weevil in J
vaded the country the cotton growers I
we're discouraged, and it was necessary
% rally them. This was done by extern !
live systems of demonstration work. The 8
armer is shown how to grow cotton de-
Ipite the wrevii, how to rotate his crops, c
low to improve his land and how to sur
'ound bis home with better conditions =
generally. Last year the department 2
vas working along this line with over
me hundred thousand farmers in the 4
Itates OF Texas and Louisiana alone, and Z
his year the number will be increased. i
"These farmers are being taught how
% maintain the fertility Of the land by
he use Of legumes, to grow corn, to keep
Inimals and at the same time produce 5
,otton. We are endeavoring to show q
hem that they can produce just ~ much
,otton on half the land now in use, de. q
'oting the other half to crops which will
,ring them ready money, and which will
lot deplets the SOIL
Fitting feet IS one Of our b
occupations. Our work Is easy :
,ccaisc we seil hanan Shoes. c