The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-02-01

A general review of all the data in
dicates tina under the most favorable
circumstances and with potatoes
which have been bred especially for
the purpose an average content of fer
mentable matter of about 20 per cent
may be reasonably expected. 1t is
thus seen that approximately 10 10
of Industrial alcohol can be made
from 100 pounds of potatoes. If 60
pounds be AXE as the average
weight of a bushel of potatoes. there
are found therein IL pounds of fer
meltable matter, from which 6 pounds
of Industrial alcohol can be produced,
Or ~six-sevenths of a gallon. 1t has
also been SHOWN that at the prices
quoted in 1905 the amount of Indian
corn necessary for the production of
a gallon of Industrial alconol costs
not less h Is cents. From this it
is evident that the potatoes for alec
hol making will have to be produced
at a cost of not to exceed Is cents
per bushel. before they can compete
with Indian corn for the manufacture
of Industrial alcohol.
Stalks of ndian Corn and Sorghum.
The stalks of sweet corn, field corn.
and sorghum contain large quantities
of sugars. and also considerable amo-
unts of starch at the time of the hard
ening of the starch in the eeds. When
sweet corn is harvested for the mar
ket its stalk contains considerable
quantities of f~ermentable matter, as
has already been stated. Large qua1-
titles of this material are grown III
the Ulited States every year. and af-
ter the harvest of the sweet corn for
h market the stalks are utilized
chiefly for fodder. In the curing of
the stalks for fodder the sugars fer
ment and disappear. If these stalks
could be used economically they you'd
d largely to the raw materials from
which alcohol could be made. The
technical difficulties, however, attend
ing the utilization of the stalks are
so great that it is oubtfu whether
means can be devised whereby their
use may be made profitable for alco-
hol making. notwithstanding this,
it is a matter which is well worthy of
Investigation, because if talks of
sweet corn aid field corn could be
utilized they would place at the dis
posal of the manufactures an almost
inexhaustible source of raw material
from which alcohol might be made.
At the present time, however, there
is no immediate probability of the eco
nomic utilization of this material.
The stalks of sorghum, as is we'll
known. contain very large quantities
of ~ferme1table matter at the time OF
r%ipening. All OF these bodies-taat is.
h stalks of sweet corn, ield corn,
aid sorghum-contain, in addition to
h sugar notable quantities OF starch
and gum, which after conversion into
a ugar, by malt or otherwise, add
greatly TO their value for alcohol max
ing. In so far as the question of raw
materials is concerned there are no
other sources available in the United
States so abundant as those found in
sweet corn, field corn, and sorghum
ak
The great difficulty encountered in
connection with the utilization of
these materials is that the season In
which these ALI are suitable for
utilization in the manufacture of al
cohol is very limited. For instance,
n the vicinity. of Washington none
of these stalks would be available
until the latter part of July, n their
availability would not continue later
h the middle or the end of Octo-
Der under the most favorable circuIn-
stances This gives at most a manu-
featuring period of only two or three
months. The cost of preserving the
stalks for a longer period would prob
lions as to preclude the possibility OF
the remunerative manufacture of al
cohol therefrom. In consideration.
however, of the tremendous extent of
this source of supply. it seems advis.
able that those in charge of the agri-
cultural experiment stations and 9TH
81 experimental investigators thruout
the country mould study the POSSIBLE
tiles Of manufacturing Industrial alco-
hol at remunerative rates, at beast
during a part Of i year.. from these
waste products OF the maize crop.
Waste Products Of canneries, etc.
There are q great many wazte pro-
ducts il b fruit industry. as wei ms
in the canning industry, which contain
sugar and starch. and It has been pro
posed to 8 these for the manufac-
ture Of alcohol ~ a. true that Al