Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-01-18

Yam Found To Be Rich Source
OF Syrup; y. S. Experts Coming
To Inspect Experimental Site

Mr.. Price advises me that his
party will be the guests of the Ro-
tary club at their regular luncheon
on Thursday, the goth. am also
addressing letter to the president
of the Kiwanis club in their behalf.
Very sincerely yours,
&C. R. CRISP"
Cargill's Part.
/ The sweet potato experimental
work has been assisted largely by
the activities OF J. Ralston Cargill,
Of Arnerieus, who has long been in
trrested in it, believing this exclu-,
sive Southern product held great pos
sibilities as syrup producer. Sew
eral years ago he took the matter
up with DR.. Carl l.. Alsberg, chief
of the Bureau of Chemistry, at
Washington, and has assisted in va
rious ways in the furthering of the
work. Three years ago DR.. Ais
berg had installed in the Cargill sy-
rup plant here plant for expert
mental work with sorghum cane sy-
rhp, which equipment is still here
and now available. Mr.. Cargill and
DR.. Alberg have come in close con
tact frequently in matters of inter
est and Importance to the~South.
DR.. Alsberg deserves great deal
of credit for this sweet potato de-
velopment work" said Mr.. Cargill
Tuesday. "He is a friend of the
South and has often demonstrated
this fact" t.
Mr.. Cargill explained something of
the practical side Of the sweet po-
tato syrup process.
IA bushel Of sweet potatoes"
said he, weighing 56 pounds, will
yield ] 1-2 gallons of very thick sy.
rup, such as the samples brought
home with me from Washington, or
about 2 gallons Of ordinary con-
sistency. 1t also Yields three pounds
Of dry pulp, which contains II per
cent Of protein and possesses high
value as d dairy feed.
"T'he ssSeetspotatoes are heated
in water ut 160 degrees for three
hours. This causes the cells 10
break down, releasing all the sugar.
The juice is pressed out and filter
ed and exaporated, just as other sy-
rup is made. It is three times
sweeter than corn syrup and possess.
es mild flavor of candied yams.
Like Beet 20 West.
~ don't know what the discovery
WILL mean to the South. I am
sure it CAN be to the South what
sugar beet has become TO the west.
The corn syrup industry has become
enormous, providing employment for
thousands of workers and market
for millions of bushels of grain.
Corn is not an exclusive western
product. But the sweet potato is an
exclusive Southern product. There
fore the Importance Of the discov-
cry is apparent.
"The sweet potato grows in the
South in great abundance. 1t is
easy to raise and q cheap crop. It
can be planted as a second crop aft
er grain is cut. Any farmer can
plant five to ten acres without any
trouble and at little cost. He can
sort over his harvested crop, pick
out the very finest and market them
at the best prevailing rices as food,
and sell the culls and small poto-
toes for syrup.
II don't know that the develop,
ment of the industry will mean any
thing to me in business way, for
my plans are made far ahead on the
basis of cane syrup. But am will
ling to give the. government free rent
in my plant and furnish steam, too,
without charge for the satisfaction of
seeing the experiment go on, for the
possibilities it holds in a general way
for the South, and for the chance
that it might be valuable to me inI
business way, some time.