The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-11-26

a billion men it would be possible tt
effect saving of $10,58O,O0O. II
was, therefore, urged that the United
States authorities adopt the dried po-
tato as part of our fighting mans
ration.
''It is estimated that it takes two
men all day to prepare the potatoes
and other vegetables required in the
feeding of 100 men. Therefore, fig
uring on the basis of providing for
100000 men it would require the
continuous daily labor of 10000 men
for this kitchen work. In other words
recourse to dessicated vegetables
would release for military service
per cent of the Army's man-power
now engaged in preparing vegetables.
But this does not cover the entire
range of potential economies. i.
Zone American drier of vegetables
brought out some amazing figures
when he appeared before the Congress
sional committee already referred to.
Just before l left California; he
testified, 4 saw ship ment of fifty
pounds of green sprouts from Cali
fornia to some point East, where the
expressrate is twelve cents pound.
In order to ship these fifty pounds
Of green sprouts to the East, they
had to ship 100-pound cake of ice
and pay the expressage at the rate
of twelve cents on the hundred pounds
OF ice and fifty pounds of sprouts,
making $50 pounds at twelve cents
pound, which amounted to $18.
The whole fifty pounds could
have been dried and shipped as three
pounds by parcel post at a cost of
thirty-five or thirty-six cents instead |
of $18 for expressage alone, not
counting the cost of the sprouts and
the ice
'sThe public does not realize it, but
it is paying heavily for water when
ever it buys fresh vegetables. This
will be perfectly plain if one keep in
mind the difference between the
weight of the fresh and the dried
vegetable"
When canned goods are shipped,
the writer next reminds US, there
must be moved in the first place to
the cannery just so many carloads of :
empty cans. A carload of canned
tomatoes includes 10000 pounds of tin
and $4,000 pounds of lumber, total Z
OF twelve tons. And to transport the !
products that would make just one
1 I
carloads are necessary, including the !
of tin ore from the mines, q
,in-plate from the factory, logs to the 2
and lumber to the box-plant. |
The writer goes on: =
sThe curious minded will naturally
ask: Will dessicated vegetables keep
for any considerable
ength of time? This can be answer Z
d by the experience of Californian
Who provided the British Cow
with large quantities of de-.
lydrated products for the troops in
south Africa.
''The Boer War terminated some 7
What abruptly and the manufactured d
vas left with 10000 pounds of the Ii
roducts on his hands At that time "
here was no demand for the COM K
1odity in either Canada or the United tt
tates. He packed it away in barrels,
yhich he sealed up with paraffin Ia
when the present conflict broke c;
ut in Europe he received another II
rider from England. He opened the Il
arrels after they had been sealed IL
Or fifteen years and three months. OF
he dried vegetables appeared to be w
erfectly good, so he shipped them, W
nd when received in Europe they in
ere found to be all right in every W
articular. ! ii
Roughly, pound of coal will dry M
yo pounds of raw vegetables; and if tie
lie Governments figures of the fuel fe
of the breweries are cor st
,ct, then in the course of year the m
,al they now burn might be utilized W
dessicating 100000 tons of green M
,odstuffs. in
According to official figures the at
overnment ration is based upon
venty ounces of food day per fight
g man. Therefore to feed 100000 us
ldiers would call for $50 tons Of 20
cen vegetables every twenty-four to
'urs. Clearly, if our hopkins and an
me, if not all of our breweries were tn
voted to the drying of .foodstuffs, tai
would be practicable to effect an ag
ormous conservation Of farm pro-
cts and at the same time reduce to
amazing extent the total amount
coal now required every twelve ow
,nths for the making of beer. ex'
"Our problem is not alone that of oh;
sding our soldiers and sailors both an,
re and abroad, but also that of uti- Eby
ing the fruits Of our fields to the Gus
most. The Department Of Agricul- be