Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-09-27
STRAW Oasis
ACCESSIBILITY
Department of Agriculture
may Help the Farmers
Make Their Own
Fuel.
ANY KIND OF STRAW
Experiments are Conducted
Along Bundy Lines APP
parently.
ANY KIND OF STRAW

If the department Of agriculture sue
cceds in establishing the economic value
OF straw gas, an unlimited supply of
the necessary raw material will be
found on the agricultural lands in Web
Ster City territory and throughout the
northwest. out of which by chemical
conversion will be derived the light and
heat for the farm home.
\ practical substitute for gasoline i,
sought. The departments experiments
are apparently along lines similar to
those of Arthur Bundy of this city.
whose discovery is the sensation of the
day. The departments substitute is
believed to have been discovered in
the diSillation of wheat oats and rye
strawS and cOrnstalks and corncObS.
The developing investigation is now be-
ing conducted by the bureau of chemis-
try Of the department Of agriculture,
which has forwarded to the Hamilton
County Farm Bureau statement
respecting the progress That has al
ready been made and advising farmers
tina, that which they hitherto regarded
as waste is the material out Of which
will come in the future their heat and
light and Il product that will propel
their automobiles
Passes Preliminary Tests.
This new combustiblc has operated
an automobile and has been success
fully used for Illuminating purposes as
well as cooking The possibilities OF
straw gas have not yet been dctermin-
ed says the bureau that has in charge
the experimental station in the east
The quantity and nature Of the gas is
to be determined regardless Of the
limited funds available to the depart
ment
If the results of the department
tests warrant. says the infOrma tive
statement received. experiments will be
extended to the problem Of plant equip
mcnt for production on Il sufficient
scale to permit the farmer to supply
light and heat for his home. power for
his stationary engines and possibly for
are expected TO generate the quantity
Of power that may be required.
If Il suitable unit can be constructed
the farmers initial expenditure will he
small. 1t seems likely that straw gas
may have certain economic value in |
sections where the raw material out Of |
which it is manufactured is now con |
Sidcred waste In the Yves; and north |
west there is IN unlimited supply Of
nonnceS.
Reduction to Liquid is Problem.
Fifty pounds Of straw will produce
800 cubic feet Of gas an amount Sutii-
Gent to drive a light roadster fifteen
miles The problem of reducing the
gas to ii liquid form or condcnSing it
sufficiently 10 permit it to be carried
is the essential one to be
solved before straw gas can be conSid-
cred as Il possible motor fuel. This
problem is to be taken up at once by
the Department.
While this gas propelled an automo-
bile. i, having been developed in 1914
in New York City. the supply had 10 be
ca rricd in Il large flexible bag on the
top of the car. Il method that Is regard
cd as of doubtful practicability.
In the manufacture of this gas sew
rral valuable hy-products are develop
ri, among them heterogeneous compounds
HAT possess large fcrtilizing value.