Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-06
BURNING CORN.

Statements have appeared from
time to time that farmers in the corn
districts of the middle west were like
ly to use corn for fuel this winter, be-
cause Of the high price of coal and the
comparatively low price Of corn.
These reports are ridiculed in an ar
ticle by Frank G. Moorhead, just pub
lished in the Farm Journal of Chicago,
who says that farmers don't go out
and toll under the burning sun for a
hundred days or so, and see the mir
acle of reproduction performed under
their very eyes. just to run opposition
to a peat bed, or q ignite mine or a
vein Of soft COAL"
On the other hand, the University
Farm Press News, published by the
department Of agriculture of the Uni
lversity of Minnesota, says that 80
many farmers in certain districts of
Minnesota are burning corn for fuel
that inquiries have reached the uni
versity farm as to the relative heat
units of corn, wood and coal" It
seems, therefore, that some farmers
are actually doing that which Mr..
Moorhead thinks is ridiculous for
anyone to do.
The verdict Of the Minnesota depart
ment is that ear corn has a somewhat
higher fuel value, ton for ton, than
good hard wood. As to whether or
not the use Of corn for fuel is profit
able depends, of course, on the rela-
tive market value Of corn and the or
binary fuel substances. On the above
basis, if a farmer can exchange a ton
of ear corn for more than a ton Of
hard wood it will pay him to make the
exchange. Otherwise, it will be more
profitable FOR him to burn the corn.
1t seems improbable that at present
prices the use of corn for fuel will be
profitable unless the corn is of very
low grade, so low that it will not pay
for Smelling.
However, corn a be used quite ex-
tensively for fuel. Some rs years ago
Kansas, farmers burned corn quite
generally. The country was quite
shocked when it learned that thou
sands of tons of corn were actually
being burned in Kansas stoves. The
burning of a substance suitable for
food, and grown primarily for that
purpose, seemed contrary to the prop
er order of things.
Whatever may be the general eco
nomic results from such a practice,
the individual farmer is concerned
chiefly, if not. exclusively. with the
question of relative values. 1t takes
so many acres of corn to supply him
with fuel for a season in the form of
wood or COAL. If few acres will supply
him with fuel if burned directly in the
form of corn, why should he make
the exchange and thus lose his labor?
Corn is not the only cultivated pro-
duct of the land that has been Used
for fuel. Western farmers some years
ago experimental largely with the
growth of sdnflowers for this purpose.
The stalks, which became hard and
woody, were chopped into stove
lengths, and when dry gave a quick,
hot fire. The seeds were full of oil,
and had a high fuel value. These ex-
periments were abandoned after a few
years, presumably because they did
not pay.
Something like a quarter of a cen
fury ago the Diamond Mill in Grand
Forks was using bran with. which tc
fire its furnaces. The mill was run.
ming at full capacity, as there was 8
liberal demand for flour, but the brar
had practically 10 market value. Ship.
ped out, it would scarcely pay it's owr
freight, n the local demand wa:
very limited. Tons Of bran were &C.
! cordingly fed into the furnaces. Agar
a very useful food product was being
destroyed. But it seemed better t. d.
this than TO pay out good money To-
coal and haul the bran to the dump
There is a sentiment against burn
ing cor direct. But if a process coult
be devised whereby the starch in corr
could be transformed into fuel alco
hol on a commercial basis we shout.
probably grow the corn, change it int,
alcohol, and burn the alcohol withou
giving a thought to the food destroy
ed in the process.