The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-02-01
WILL MAKE STARCH
OF SWEET POTATOES
CLEMSON AND FEDERAL AGENTS
PROPOSE BIG PLANT FOR
THIS STATE.
W,W.LONG DISCUSSES PLANS
Project Has Already Been Tried Out
on Small Scaie.-Would Create
Market for Sweet Potatoes.

Columbia The extension division
OF Clemson college in cooperation
with the United States department Of
agriculture has been working for
some time on the problem Of finding
markets for the different agricultural
products Of the state, realizing that it
IS absolutely necessary to create
greater markets if the farmer is to
practice diversification. This was the
object in urging the establishment Of
Ihe packing houses at Orangeburg
ana Greenville, to provide a market
lor hogs and beef cattle and indirectly
lor surplus hay and grain. The estab.
llshment Of the cream routes was to
develop the dairying industry.
Ihe creation Of a market for sweet
potatoes, that would justify the farm.
er III planting large acreage, has
been more o" less perplexing, as the
transportation Of sweet potatoes to
the Northern markets is a hazardous
undertaking.
clemson college come years ago,
under the direction OF the late M. B.
fiardin, one Of the foremost chemists
III the country, took up the problem
OF working out the manufacturing Of
starch from sweet potatoes and DR..
Hardln was ably assisted by Prof. c.
G. Mcdonnell now in the bureau Of
chemistry Of the United States de.
partment Of agriculture, the late Prof.
F. S. Shiver and later on by Prof. T.
e. keitt, chemist of Clemson college.
These chemists worked on this prob
lem from the laboratory end and in
order to establish the practcability Of
utilizing sweet potaeoes for the man.
ufacture Of starch, small plant was
established at Clemson college,
through the cooperation Of B. Rem
mers d Sons, chemical and consulting
engineers Of Philadelphia. The starch
from the sweet potatoes was used in
some Of the cotton mills of the state.
The experiments by the mills proved
very satisfactory.
The movement for starch mill
has now been revived by w w. Long,
director Of the farm demonstration
forces, and series Of conferences
with business men has been arranged
Tor the building up of the new indus.
try in South Carolina.
In bringing this proposition be-.
fore the business men of the. state, >"
said Mr.. Long, Il want my position
clearly understood, that from the lab
oratory and scientific end the matter
OF producing starch from sweet pota-
toes has been clearly demonstrated.
Prof. Il. E. Keitt, chemist Of the South
Carolina experiment station, and Mr..
Is. Remmers, chemical and consulting
engineer of Philadelphia, will attend
the different meetings that we propose
TO hold in the state and in conference
with the business men, when the ques.
ton OF the advisability and feasibility
or establishing starch factories will be
taken up and discussed These gen.
Ilemen will throw light on every angle
and 1t will rest with the business men
TO determine whether the profits that
might be expected from the enter
prise would Justify them in erecting
a plant and whether they would be
able to pay the farmer price for his
potatoe sthat would justify his grow.
ms them"
Industrial chemists, business men
and farmers met in Columbia Monday
to discuss plans for trying the new in.
1ustry Conferences will also be held
at other points in the state at early
dates.