Arizona republican., 1920-11-13
A Bureau of Applied
 Science
BY Erederic I Haskin


 WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. S-The l government has at last started in a l small way a much needed enterprise. One bureau in the department of agri- culture-thie bureau of chemistry-is going to turn some of it's discoveries to practical use by finding out their commercial. possibilities and giving the public the benefit of it's research.
 This means that if the chemists Of the sugar experiments laboratory, for Instance, find an improved method of making cane syrup the bureau may not, as heretofore. announce the big discovery to the country and then start something else
 Instead, if it seems likely that the new process could be developed prof ttably by syrup manufacturers, and if there is a special need for it. cnem1cal engineers of the bureau will take up the matter. Data will be obtained to show the condition Of the market whether a higher price can be obtained for the better product, whether new machinery is needed for the new proc ess, and the cost, whether the project is practicable on a small scale. When equipped with facts. figures, and per haps a small working plant where the syrup has been successfully made by the government process, the bureau will be in position to furnish help to anyone who is interested
 The branch of the bureau Of chem istry which is to form this laison be- tween science and the public is called the office of development work, It was planned by Dr. Carl Alsberg, the chief of the bureau of chemistry, who felt that the discoveries of his bureau were not often enough understood by s1g. ,If- of them. The trouble was that the bureau had no way of helping people who were always writing to it to know if each new process would be a good commercial venture and if so how tC go about starting work. To help these business men and manufacturers. anc also private citizens who might be in terested in the use of a discovery made by the bureau the office of develop. ment work has been opened.
 Many of the processes worked out b! the government chemists are prac- ticable only on a large scale, in al elaborately equipped plant. But in som' cases the farmer or housewife profits by the chemical experiments.
 Gas Out of Straw
 It is hoped that this may he true l in the case of the straw gas experi | ments now being conducted at the gov ! ton, Va. Gas was several years agt obtained from straw During the wa England eked out her gasoline suppl, hy attaching bags containing strav gas to the top of automobile busses The difficulty with straw gas can b seen right there. It has never beel satisfactorily reduced to compresse liquid When that is achieved and tn qualities of gas obtained from differen kinds of straw have been studied an compared, the bureau of chemistr hopes to be able to show the farme how to make his own gas for light hea and power for stationary engines an tractors. The government chemical en gineers could not, of course, go t every farm and give actual assistanc in establishing a gas production plan but it could furnish all necessary in formation regarding costs, equipmer and the product
 The office that is to furnish tn service is so new that it has scarcel mapped out it's campaign. It cann' work out the development of all l