The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-02

DECATUR, H., March 2-That tue
120,O00000 tons of corn cobs ami
stalks now going to waste annually in
the United States can be made into
syrup, cattle feed, turned into abso-
lutely fast dyes, made into motion
picture films, sound-proofing, or the
base for nitro-glycerine, was the state
ment of Elton r. Darling, PHI. D., pro-
lessor of chemistry at Millikin univer-
sity of Decatur.
Prof. Darling only recently caused
nationwide comment by his announce
ment that he had been able to obtain
alcohol from Illuminating gas. The
alcohol was obtained in laboratory
lest. Today, in his address he de-
clared that alcohol is the fuel of tie
future, that the supply is inexhaust-
ible, while petroleum will grow
scarcer, gasoline high in price and the
coal situation and supply doubtful.
Practical Thing
Il am intensely interested in the
products to be derived from corn
cobs," said Prof. Darling. "The pro-
duction of syrup or Xylose from cobs
is not an experiment. 1t is practical
thing. Xylose is the sugar in the corn.
It is what the cattle and stock want
when they eat corn. By eating the
cob they get but five per cent OF the
xylose. The syrup, which is for AMI
| mails, and made by treating the COB,
| gives twenty-five per cent more. IL
seems practicable to me that this add
| ed syrup should be used when the
| cobs at present are going to waste.
81 expect to simplify the process OF
! extracting this syrup so that the far'
| mer can make it on his farm. | have
! carried my experiments far enough TO
| know that the cattle like it and want
| it."
| Exhibits Dye
| Referring to the production of dyes
| from corn cobs, Mr.. Darling exhibited
a black dye that he had obtained from
furfurol, a chemical obtained from
/ cobs. 1t is a sulphur dye, deep and
fast. and he said that it can be made
profitably. He has obtained other col
ors but has not yet developed them tc
the degree of stability which he has
| reached with the black dye.
That cobs have many other uses
was shown in his statement that the
cellulose from them can be made into
material that will serve as a filleI
for phonograph records, can be treat
ed and used in the making of motion
picture films or used between wood as
sound proofing, as well as its use as
base for the manufacture of nitro
glycerin.
Alcohol To Be Fuel.
Turning from the discussion o.
cobs, he predicted that alcohol would
} be the world fuel of the future. Ht
said that he believed that in five year:
: the petroleum situation in this coun
} try would be such that gasoline woult
! be 40 or so cents a gallon because o
the increasing use of the internal com
bustion engine. Railroads and steam
ships, he said are turning more ant
more to the use of gasoline because
of the constantly increasing indefin
iteness in the mining of coal by rea
: son of strikes. The use of collodia
: fule, product of crude oil and pow
/ dered coal and also the development
of the shale oil industry might hell
the fuel situation for another % years
he said, but in the end alcohol will
: become the world fuel
Alcohol, he said is inexhaustible be
cause it can be manufactured out o
: anything of woody nature and s,