Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-07
Keep the FIivver Going
With Gas Made Of Straw
CONTINUED from First Pase.)

project with Prof. MaCLaurih OF The
University OF Saskatchewan. Saskka-
toon, Canada. The university. in con-
junction with the United States De-
partment OF Agriculture. exhibited a
straw gas equipment at the exposi-
ton Of chemical Industries in New
York city during the fall of 1913. This
equipment was later purchased and
partment of Agriculture.
Several valuable by-prodOcts are
obtained in the manufacture OF straw
gas. Carbon residue suitable for man
ufacturing lamp black Of exceptional
ly hne quality Is one. This residue
ash, phosphates and heterogeneous
compounds, which give 1t fertilizing
value.
The tar and ammoniacal liquids re-
sulting from the process. aside from
their value as disinfectants and pre-
servatives, may prove useful in the
dye industry. II the engineers sue
coed in perfecting the present appa-
ratus and in reducing the cost OF pro.
duction there Is no doubt that straw
gas will have an important CONNER
cial future.
Until such time as Congress appro-
pirates more funds fer experimental
work Of this nature, further develop.
ment will be somewhat slow on ac-
count OF the money provided at the
last session being practically exhaust
ed at this time.
The big dream of these experiment.
ers is to eventually make il possible
for farmers to equip their places with
a reasonable priced gas plant. from
which they can generate gas on a
scale sufficient to supply light and
n trse,o isF and ae stastonary ensinss r LOT
To that class of pessimfsts known
to the rest OF humanity as 10y kill
ers and doubling Thomases' an
epochal effort Of this kind will seem
utterly impractical and will probably
be deaounced as visionary and a
waste OF public money.
To othere-the ones who dare and
dot will appear as something easy
OF accomplishment when compared
with seemingly more perplexing prob.
lens that have been made practicable
mercial progress.
Going upon the assumption that the
Department Of Agriculture will even.
tually solve all Of the problems now
confronting them. and evolve an eco.
nomicai plan for making gas from
wheat, oat and rye straw. corn and
cotton stalks. leaves and sugar cane
refuse, the next interesting PROPOSE
ton. so far as the general public
is concerned. Is to know somethins
about the quantities of these raw ma
tertals that would be available fol
such purpose.
The average annual production o,
straw In the United States is esti.
| mated at 1so.ooo.ooo tons. OF this
total products 1t is conservatively
estimated that about IS per cent ga.
708. 900 tons) Is fed to live stock. Is
per cent (17,6l3. 900 tons) 10 burned
8 per cent (S,2l2.000 tons) Is sold and
% per cent l2Az1l. 600 toas> is plowed
under or Otherwise disposed Of.
II the l7.S13.00o tons Of straw nov
burned each year could be converted
into gas. the total production would
| reach the staggering sum Of 2l1.356..
900 900 cubic feet Of gas, To get some
| idea Of the possibilities Of thai
amount OF gas, Just recall that it only
| takes SOC cubic feet to operate an auto
| roadster could cover 1857 $685. 0t
! miles on one years supply Of straw
gas. II the autoist were to travel ir
a straight line he would make 422,7l:
trips around the world.
The corn planted this year amount,
to 1os.64s.ooo acres. Corn stalks viii
average about two tons to the acre
tons. or moro than two trtllion cubi.
| feet OF gas. That's such an enormou,
quantity that nothing short Of EFix.
J sled university professor Of u,athe
MATES could Agure how many time.
lit would propel IN auto around tn
| world. Or how many farms and farm
houses could be furnished With power
ana light.
Cotton stalks. Of course, are mucf
lighter than corn stalks. running about
| half . ton 70 the aero. Tho cottof
planted this year totals 36.504.o00 acres
! making 17.762.0e0 tons. II converted
| into gas it would make 2I3.o24.0oo,pot
| cubic feet.
| In digesting all of these tremendou.
| figures. just bear In mind that thu
\ present annual production Of Gaaoiina
ES,btained from crude oil in this countf3
Il only q little more than four billion