The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-03-25
The Alcohol Potato an Insurance to the
Farmer Against Losses on His Grain Crops

will be secured as the result of a
workable law providing for untaxed
denatured alcohol is that the price of
those farm products from which it
may be most cheaply produced can
never fall below point which would
give the farmers satisfactory profit.
In other words, this legislation prac-
t1caily give sthe farmer a policy of in
surance against loss in growing corn
and potatoes. Corn at 80 cents per
bushel would Danish kerosene as a
source of light and heat and gasoline
as source of power at present prices
of these articles.
AT the present time gasoline OF a
poor quality costs the farmer in the
northwestern states % to 80 cents per
gallon, and all indications point to an
increase In those prices, owing to the
constantly increasing demand in all
sections OF the country. With the
greater safety OF alcohol at equal, or
nearly equal, prices it would be pre-
ferred to gasoline, and the demand for
1t as motor fuel for farm engines
alone would create market for all
surplus corn at price Of not less than
~ cents, and probably at 35 cents per
bushel. With the assurance of an un-
limited demand for corn at a price
that would avoid the necessity o: it's
ever being sold at a loss, and an en-
iarged demand for potatoes, ETC., the
farmers can raise without fear OF Il
glutted market annual crops of these
products very much larger than even
the record crops of former years.
Cooperative Manufactures.
In my opinion tho most practicable
way in which alcohol can be profitably
produced by the farmers, for the pres
ent at. least, is through the establish
ment of cooperative plants by num-
Der of farmers in suitable localities.
| believe that in such plants can be
utilized inferior and rejected grain. and
at certain seasons starch-yielding veg
etables, so as to supply the local de-
mand for denatured alcohol for light
ms, heating and motor fuel purposes.
The Alcohol Potato.
l am advised by the United States
department OF agriculture that they
have recently imported samples OF po-
tatoes grown in Europe which have
been found to give Il very high per-
centage OF alcohol. and that there are
varieties grown in this country, with
which the department is now expert
mentine, which show largo starch
content In view OF the fact, as shown
in the report OF the committee on ways
and means perfecting the alcohol laws,
that in the fiscal year OF 1905 Germany
used 91,14S,1S2 bushels OF potatoes in
the production Of alcohol, there would
seem to be no reason why in many
sections OF this country tho cultiya-
ticn of these special kinds of potatoes
for use in the production OF alcohol
should not be found profitable by our
farmers.
A matter of great Importance in re-
lation to the capacity OF our farms to
produce practically unlimited quanti-
ties OF the materials from which in
dustrial alcohol is made is the fact
that the growth OF these farm crops
does not exhaust the soil. After the
alcohol has been extracted from corn
or potatoes these materials are still
serviceable as cattle feed, in which
form they ultimately find their way
back to the land.
Some disappointment has been en-
perienced over the delay on the part
of our manufacturers to furnish alco-