Ellsworth American., 1912-07-24
DRIED POTATOES.
A Possible New Industry for the Po-
tato Counties of Maine.

the great sources of profit to the German
farmer. 1t is we'll known that Ger.tanv
grows full third OF the potato crop used
in the world, but not until within the
last five years has the drying of the tubers
become one Of the great industries of the
country. SO rapidly has the business
grown that the output for the last year
amounted to over twenty-five million
bushels, which is more than 10 per cent.
OF the potatoes raised in the United States
| There are two methods OF doing the
work, and these are known as the roll
system and the drum method. By the
former system the tubers are softened
with steam and then passed between large
revolving cylinders that are heated to a
reasonable degree. This spreads the mass
into thin sheet which quickly dries and
| is scraped as the cylinder revolves. The
process is very simple one, and the
product closely resembles the breakfast
food known as corn fakes. 1t can be used
as a substitute for the whole potato, be
made into soups or ground into flour and
used in various ways. The entire nutri-
ment Of the potato is preserved, and it is
exceedingly palatable when used in any OF
the above named ways.
The drum system is an even cheaper
method Of drying, but the product is not
as good as when made by the other
method. An iron drum about three feet
in diameter and twenty feet in length is
used, and through this heavy amount of
air is drawn by means OF fan, and the
heat from small furnace feeds directly
| upon it with mixture of cold air. The
temperature is raised to 800 degrees. Into
this drum the potatoes are sent in the
form OF thin slices from cutting machine
and as they roll around they are dried
by the action OF the hot air. This method
can only be done on a large scale, as small
drums are not nearly as efficient in the
work as those OF the size named.
1t is said that coke is better than coal
for this work, and 300 pounds are suffi-
cient to dry one ton OF potatoes. The
amount OF labor involved is reduced to a
minimum and consequently the expense
is very slight after the apparatus is once
arranged. The average cost in the Ger
man factories is but $40 per ton Of fresh
potatoes, and these are reduced three
fourths in volume and weight by the pro-
cess. In other words, one ton of freshly
dug potatoes will weigh but one quarter
of ton after being passed through one of
these machines. The product OF this last
named process is used mostly for animal
feed, and its value for that purpose is
about equal to corn. The cylinder direct
product is the table article.
There are many other uses to which
this dried potato can be used. In Ger
many it is used in making yeast and alco-
hol, and allows much larger margin of
profit than any other Jaw material in the
manufacture OF those products. 1t is un-
suitable for starch, as the potato is par
TALLY cooked, but for feed for the table
and barn it is unexcelled. As there are
other ways for making starch, this is not
great loss. The object of this is entirely
different and it is a new and rapidly grow
ing industry.
1t is very singular that this idea had not
been thought Of before. Up to this time
it has been confined to Germany and
already the manufacturers have es
tabiished large export trade. 1t is we'll
known that apples are dried and have long
been an important article OF commerce.
The same principle holds good with po-
tatoes, as nothing hut water is eliminated
by the process of drying. All the nutri-
ment is preserved in a much more con-
centrated form and more easy to handle.
In a state like Maine it could be made
very profitable, as the reduced weight
would bring the price of transportation
down very materially. Not only that, but
small potatoes could be used for the pur-
pose, as they would be fully as valuable as,
those of larger size. ALL could be dried
and their value would be fully as mach as
those of larger size and fairer appearan ce.
The potato is already one OF our most
profitable money crops and can be made
doubly 80 by introducing this system.
All the large and fine appearing tubers.
can be sorted out and sent to- market,
while the smaller ones can be dr. led and
sold at still greater profit.
Within the past year Secretary Wilson
has sent an agent to Germany to study
the system and determine its feasibility
for this country. While his report has
not yet been made public, id is understood
to be favorable and bulletin will soon be
issued on the subject. The great advan-
tage of this system is its cheapness> The
entire outfit needed for the drying pro-
cess is not much more expensive than
cream separator, and this could be had on
every farm. Maine already stands third
on the list of potato-growing states and is
fast forging to the front rank.
The market is now more or less variable.
Some years, like the present, the tubers
command high price, while other years
they are so low as to forbid any profit.
These years the crop could be dried and
held for higher figures. This is no idle
dream or fanciful theory, but an estab-
lished fact. Germany has demonstrated
its value and established it as one of her
great industries. What the Teutonic race
has done can also be accomplished by the
to- md Cna