Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-03-14
SEEKING SAVINGS o
SCIENCE IN AMERICA.
Daily Letter by Frederic j. Haskir

WASHINGTON, March 11.-De.
velopment of a new, American grown
| beverage is one of the latest projects
| OF the versatile Bureau of Chemistry
! in the Department of Agriculture. In
| South Carolina fields and.in a labora.
| tory here cassina is being carefully
studied in the expectation that some
day it may find favor with the Am
erican public.
In another laboratory, scientists OF
the Bureau are studying ways IN
which leather car best be preserved
1t is concluded that If each individ'
ual took proper care of his SHOES ne
might reduce the average number oil
| pairs bought by each person in 9
, year from three to two--a saving
naturally of some $500.000,000.
From leather. the Bureaus inter
ests run to syrup. and 1t has
oped a long sought sugar cane syrup
which neither ferments quickly nor
turns to sugar. This means that II
the cane syrup is commercially nan
died New Englanders may be able to
compare this southern delicacy with
their famous maple syrup.
These random examples or re
search work were selected by DIR. w.
w. Skinner in charge of the
work of the Bureau of Chemistry as
he explained how his bureau works
for the general public, inc not alone
for the farmer, as many people
think.
1--WE are working" said DR.. Skin
ner towards greater utilization OF
primary horticultural products and
by-products. The utilization OF by
products sometimes makes the prim-
ary product cheaper to the consum-
err and at the same time the producer
is able to derive more profit from
his materials. Therefore, everyone
is concerned with the service when
agricultural chemistry is rendering
to the country"
DIR. skinner showed how in some
cases the service rendered by the
Bureau to the consumer is direct-as
in its suggestions on conservation OF
shoe leather.
Would Save Importing Hides
1--WE are doing a great deal OF
work on conservation of leather.
DR. skinner said. This country is
having to import more and more
hides every year for making leather.
IL we can reduce that import by
saving leather every user of leather
in the country would benefit"
A bulletin on this subject is one
result of extensive tests and expert
meuts by scientists in the leather
laboratory. The following two par
agraphs taken from the bulletin
show the practical character OF Inc
Bureaus suggestions:
IAN economical plan is to have
two pairs of shoes which are worn
on alternate days, thus permitting
each pair to become thoroughly dry
between the periods of wearing
them.
"Great care must be taken in dry
ing wet boots and shoes, for they
often burn before it seems possible.
Moreover if dried toe fast and WITH
out proper attention, they shrink, be-
coming hard and mis-shapen. 10
dry wet boots and shoes properly,
first wash off all adhering mud ana
grit with tepid water, and in the
case of work or rough shoes at once
srease them. Straighten the coun-
ter. heel, vamp, and top to the prop
err shape, and stuff the shoe with
crumpled paper, which helps them TO
hold their shape and shortens the
driving period. Finally, set the shoes
aside in a place that is not too warm
and allow them to dry slowly. Wet
leather burns very easily, much more
readily than dry leather. The shoes
should not be worn until they have
become thoroughly dry"
Considering the cost OF SHOES the
importance to everyone of knowing
how to get the most service out OF a
pair of shoes is obvious.
In other phases of the Bureaus
research work the general pubic is
Indirectly concerned, as in the sugar
cane syrup Investigations lncon.
gruously enough. this syrup project
seems likely to affect southern cot,
ton first. The cotton boil
weeyil. which has so devastated cot
ION fields in some southern states mas
DISCOURAGED many growers. They
know that il the land is planted IN
different crops for several seasons
the boil weevil will die off from star
walton and disappointment. The
problem is to find a suitable n
profitable crop to replace the cotton
Sugar cane is one possible CROP
and the Bureau of Chemistry's syrup
Investigations show cane growing as
one solution of the cotton growers
dilemma.