The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-06
Investigating
POTATO USES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
INVESTIGATES MANUFACTURE
or DRIED POTATOES FOR USE
AS STOCK FEED, ALCOHOL AND
STARCH MANUFACTURE.

The drying OF potatoes is an in
dustry that a been developed in the
past five years in Germany, which
country grows ne-third Of the worlds
potato crop. During the past veal
under orders of the secretary Of agri-
culture, an investigation has been made
in Germany of the starch and dried
potato industries, dealing especially
with machinery and methods in use.
Germany has potato drying plants
with a combined yearly capacity OF
nearly 25,000.O00 bushels of potatoes,
equal to more than z per cen of the.
average annual potato crop OF the
United States for the three years end
ing with 1911. The two general meth
DDS of manufacture are known as the
roll system and the drum system.
In the roll system the potatoes are
steamed until softened, and then pass
ed between large revolving cylinders
which are heated by steam. The po-
tato forms on the roll in a layer,
which dries and is scraped off during
a revolution of the roll. This product
has the appearance of n Of our
breakfast foods known rs corn
! fakes and Is used as a general sub
stitute for the fresh potato in the
household, in addition to being ground
to a flour and mixed with other hours
for bread making and in the making
of cereal foods.
The drum system makes a product
at about half the manufacturing cost
of the roll system, and fortall purposes
other than human food, the drum sys-
tenn is used. 1t consists, essentially,
of an iron shell about two and one-half
feet in diameter and eight times this
length. Through this a heavy current
Of air is drown by means of a fan, and
the FIRE gases from a stove feed direct.
w into ii, the mixture OF heated and
cold air being such as to make a temp
erature of about 500 degrees F. at the
entrance. From a cutting machine
clipped POTATOES are conveyed to the
slowly revolving drum which is pro.
vided with an interior construction
that gives the potatoes the maximum
exposure to the drying action Of the
hot air. The drying operation mus
be done on rather a large scale, al
small drums are not nearly so eficien'
in proportion to size. The fuel re-
quirements are about 500 pounds OF coks
or its equivalent, for one ton OF pota'
toes, and the labor requirements ar,
small. The approximate cost of opera,
ton, including fuel, labor, interest Of
! investment, taxes, wear, etc, is $1.3l
! per ton Of potatoes. -Four tons Of DO
tatoes yield one ton OF dried product
In Germany most OF the product 4
used as feed for al kinds OF animals
having about the equivalent value D
corn fer cattle, horses and swine. !
is used technically, In the manufac
ture of yeast alcohol, etc. The prod
uct. being partially cooked, is no
suitable for the manufacture OF starch
One OF the large manufacturers OF ma
chinery is now trying out d process TO
making d material that viii be suitabI
for making into finishing starch.
1T appears that this industry may b
applicable to the United States. es
pecially where the question Of freigti
Lis one OF Importance, for. is seen above
the weight OF product is reduced &
Il one-f0urth. 1t should enable our west
i ern states to utilize the advantage
they have for potato growing. both a
a money crop and as a cultivated Gro
In the rotation to prepare the land 70
wheat and other grains. Furthermore
Q the machines could be used for dryin
sugar beet pulp. beet leaves and othe
similar products, as it is In this wa
the German beet sugar factories con
4 serve their pulp. mixing It with q sniaI
Quantity Of molasses Tor stock feed.