The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-09
GARBAGE CANS
FOR INDEX TO
FOOD SAVING
-Analyze Contents and Pub
ish Findings, Suggestion
of q. S.
MUCH VALUABLE
MATERIAL WASTED
Dual Collection of Garbage
ind Trash Should be
= Enforced

Washington, d. c., June 9."Hava
your city food chemist analyze your
city garbage from week to week, and
publish prominently what he finds as
an index of food saving or waste in
your community" is the suggestion
the United States department OF ag-
riculture is making to municipal au-
thorities throughout the country.
Where there is no official chemist, the
lists capable of determining percent
ages of fats, protein. starch, and orr
ganic matter wasted in garbage cans
render great service to the nation by
volunteering to make these analyses
in their localities.
Vast amounts of bread, meat, and
edible fats are wasted in garbage, and
are lost TO the food supply OF the ma
ton by usual garbage reduction or
disposal methods. One of the first
results from the careful analysis of
city garbage should be the passage OF
more rigid enforcement OF garbage
collection ordinances, requiring that
no glass, tin, wood, burnt matches,
mixed 0vith the vegetable material,
meat scraps or bones, which can be
used for feed.
Enforce Dual Collection.
This dual collection of garbage and
trash is being rigidly enforced by
Germany in all cities of 10000 people.
Garbage so collected from a popuIa-
although the German garbage pail ali
ways has been far leaner than the
American one. and is especially light
at this period, furnished briquettes
rich in protein, which, when fed to
dairy cattle. produced 100000 TO g.
100000 quarts of milk daily.
In most American cities, however,
garbage is sent to reduction plants
where all the fat and oil 1t contains
is recovered for use in making soap
or greases. The residue after the oil
is extracted is used as fertilizer or
dumped into the ocean.
This practice has been highly prof@
liable because the American garbage
pail is very rich in fat, American gar
bage averaging per cent OF Tat, while
German garbage rarely shows even
l per cent of tat, as the German peo-
pie never have been wasteful of ami
NAL or other fats. Another reason
for the use of the reduction method
is that in many cities ordinances pre-
vent the use OF garbage for feeding
animals, particularly dairy cows. al
though there is no valid hygienic OBJ
lection to the use Of dried and proper
or hogs.
Are Hopeful Of Success.
The department specialists believe
that as the thrift idea gains ground,
less and less fat will be thrown into
the garbage pail, and are hopeful that
the time Is not far distant when the
amount of fat will make reduction for
the recovery of oils hardly worth
while. This will mean that q lot OF
excellent and valuable foodstun now
being wasted as food, will never get
into the garbage pail. Even when all
fat is eliminated, however, and waste
of bread and cereals and meat has
been reduced to a minimum. the gar
bage pail nevertheless will contain in
the form of Earrings. plate scraps and
trimmings, a vast amount Of material
which should be conserved and used
as feed for hogs. cattle. or poultry.
First, however, the people must face
the facts and know the truth OF their
waste, and in bringing this waste
fective service.