Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-01-20
EXPERTS SHOWN
CLAIMS HERE ON
SYRUP PLANT
Conditions. Not Induce
ments, To Decide
Location

the proposed experimental plant for
the manufacture of syrup from sweet
potatoes were viewed from all angles
Thursday by the party of three gov
ernment experts, of whose coming
the Times-Recorder told in advance
Tuesday and Wednesday. The men,
three in number, were met by a
committee of leading citizens at 10
O'Clock, taken on an inspection trip
10 the site offered for the plant;
dined by the Rotary club as special
guests at the regular weekly lunch
con, and shown some of the best por
tions of Sumter county in the aft
ernoon, from which they were able
to grasp an idea of the suitability
of this locality as a producer OF
sweet potatoes with which to operate
the plant.
The members of the party were D.
j. Price, engineer in charge of de- !
velopment work, United States Bu-
reau Of Chemistry; DR.. II. C. Gore, !
chemist Of the department, and ].
0. Reed, engineer assigned to in
stallation of the proposed plant. The
! trio had already visited Augusta,
Fitzgerald and Waynesboro, coming
here from Fitzgerald where they
spent Wednesday. They will leave
tonight for Triton and Moultrie, afl-
er which they probably will return
to Washington, passing up invitations
from Mississippi and louisiana
Strictly Business.
The visitors, being on a strictly
! business mission, devoted themselves
principally to the acquisition Of facts
They readily furnished answers to
many questions propounded to them
to Interested members Of the wei
coming parties, and at the Rotary
luncheon went into the story o.
sweet potato syrup and the reasons
why this experimental plant is be-
| ing planned
1t was pointed cut by Mr.. Price,
who headed the party, that material
inducements play no particular part
in the locating of this experimental
plant. The chief consideration is
that it be located where the sweet
potatoes which are the raw material,
may be had in sufficient abundance,
and where proper distribution Of
the manufactured product may be
made and a fair demonstration of
STABILITY Of the product and the de,
mand which may be expected from
! the public had. The cost of produc-
ton, and the resulting ability of the
syrup to compete with low priced
syrups on the market is the remain
ing point to be determined by test.
''For years the bureau of chemis-
try has been developing processes /
of many kinds" said Mr.. Price, "but
when Mr.. Meredith became secretary
of agriculture, being an advertising
man, he established a policy of these /
discoveries practical application, and |
SO he installed a department of en-
gineering. 1t happens that the sweet
potato syrup development is the first
to come before this department for
practical handling, although probab- /
Iy twenty more. are nearing that
stage and will later. be handled
l.6 Gallons TO Bushel.
''The chemists had found how to
extract the syrup from the sweet po-
tato. They discovered. by labora-
tory tests, that about 16 gallons of
syrup suitable for table use, could
be made from a bushel of sweet po-
tatoes, with a residue Of about !
pounds of pulp which has value as
stock food.
"The experiments not having pro +.
gressed beyond the laboratory stage, |.
it was necessary to set up a plant /
and make the syrup to demonstrate
its real commercial value and posi- .
bilties. We considered first erect /
ing plant across the river from
! Washington, but it was decided bet /
ter to establish contact with actual !
conditions under which the industry |
would be conducted if successful, !
and so we are in the South looking
over sites suitable for this plant.
"The plant consists principally of
hydraulic press and evaporator,
which are now ready for shipment.
The selection of the site will be made
without delay and the plan gotten
ready Cor operation in time for the
next crop"
]. Ralston Cargill offered the eX-
perts the use of an entire building
in connection with his syrup plant
on the Seaboard tracks, together /
with steam for operating the plant5
all without cost.