The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-06-22

the process therefore has large COM
mercial possibilities.
Germany Experiments.
Germany imported large quantities
of acetate of lime from the United
States before the war. Among other
uses of acetone is in the preparation
of artificial rubber. which Germany
needed so badly when her overseas
supplies were cut off. Acetone was
then obtained from the acetate of
lime that resulted from the distilla-
ton of wood. Later, when increased
supplies of rubber We're needed an
other method had to be adopted; and
potatoes were allowed to ferment af-
ter a bacillus known as b. acetoethy-
licum had been added. The resultant
decomposition produced acetone and
alcohol, the former being successfully
utilized in a process for making arti-
fetal rubber.
1t has been found that acetone alb
serbs about 25 times its volume of
acetylene so the motor spirit prob
lem appears to have been solved by
the suggestion that sufficient acetone
be added to the wood alcohol 1t has
been found that so per cent of wood
alcohol and 20 per cent of acetOne is
an excellent mixture in which suffi
cient acetylene can be absorbed to
produce an efficient motor spirit A
number of natural products in South
Africa are being tested as possible
sources of acetone waste corn cobs
being favored on account of the
quantity available; for maize, as corn |
is called there. is the staple food for |
the Kafrs. Tests have also been |
made to produce about 2.7 pound of |
acetone and 6.S pounds of alcohol
Experiments are being carried out |
in several other countries in an effort
to obtain alcohol from Jerusalem ar
tichokes. Results so far has been
and intensive cultivation
may follow. all the more likely be-
cause it has been proved that the
discarded stems can be manufacture
I'd into pulp for the making of certain
grades of paper
In Other Lands.
In Cuba there is strong indication
hat gasoline will soon be replaced
by wood alcohol. obtained, as
n Brazil, from the waste product of
he sugar mills. The average cost of
gasoline in Havana is about soc per
;allon. Alcohol costs about S5c per :
'allOn Drivers of automobiles for
lire who are using the substitute
ave found that they can reduce fares
" One-third and the price charged
till permits a fair margin of profit
fter operating expenses are deduct y
d.
The cost of gasoline in India has
cen so high that a factory has been :
established in Hyderabad for the pro-
uction of alcohol from the flowers of )
he mahwa trees. The industry has !
lready attained significant proper p
ions, the daily output having reached
O. 900 gallons. In little known Pa =
ua, or New Guinea, there is an i'm
lense area of land that is covered
nth the nipa palm. Preliminary in
and tests have shown
hat the tree will yield alcohol in suf-
cient quantity to justify the raising
capital for plant that is to cost c
yer $1,OOO,OOO, insuring employment +
)r 1900 natives and 60 whites It is b
rOposed to produce 100000 gallons S
motor spirit a year, as we'll as 500 Fl
ms of paper as a byproduct In the "
hilippines the sap from the nipa F
aim tree forms the source of 80 per Z
ent of the alcohol produced there. 1t L
)sts under 1Oc per gallon. il
Necessity is the mother of inven- &"
on; and invention in the present in a
ance seems likely to discover a Of
reap source of power for motor We il
cles and stationary engines that ii
like natural oil is inexhaustible: p
r it is the product of vegetable p
Owth the continuance of which can W
insured by scientific cultivation Ell
d control ci