The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-05-01

SUI Experiments With Electricity
on Farms-Just how the farmer can
make profitable use of electricity on
his farm and in his home is the pur-
pose of an experiment now being con-
Quoted by the University Of Mime
sofa in cooperation with the North
err States Power company, state and
national committees, and manu-
fscturers of electric equipment and
fam machinery. The experiment
centers near Red Wing, where rural
line of more than six miles in length,
serving from Is to 20 farm homes,
has been constructed. E. A. Stewart
OF the division of agricultural engin-
eeling, University of Minnesota, is in
direct charge of the project.
Distribution of electricity, rather
than its production, is the expensive
factor in modern identification. "De-
spite these unavoidable costs of ais
tribution there is a way to give the
farmer electric service at a cost ac-
ceptable and advantageous to him"
says Mr.. Stewart. "Low costs are inn
possible if he is only small consum-
er. The cost of reaching him with
electric service should be separate
item of charge. Then the charge for
the actual electric energy should be
low. If he becomes liberal consumer
of electricity, the cost of installation
does not increase and his actual kilo-
watt hour cost declines to a reason
able figure. Under these circumstanc-
es the farmer may make many uses of
electricity at cost under that OF
otEer forms of power. believe it is
quite possible that he may make cleo
trici.y an actual income producer, but
until all the facts are available it
would be folly to advise further rural
identification.
"The Red Wing line has been built
by the Northern States Power COM
pany. The farms served are being
equipped with motors, electrical ap-
pliances, farm machinery, barn equip
ment, ETC., to utilize in all possible
ways. Electricity will be used for
washing and ironing clothes, pumping
water, Matching and brooding chicks,
cleaning, cooking, washing dishes,
feed grinding, milking, saving wood,
cutting ensilage, refrigeration, hoist
ing hay, shredding corn, threshing
grain, and possibly for blowing. Rec
ords will be kept of the various types
of work to determine how and when
electricity should be used"
o.
Supplies Of Sodatol Gone, Says
shington-Supplies of sodatol, the
cheapest war salvaged explosive Of
fered by the government for land
clearing purposes, have become almost
exhausted, according to advices re-
ceived by the agricultural engineering
~ fysrYr q
United States Department OF Agrlcul-
ture at Washington. Less than year
ago 100000 pounds of the new
explosive were placed at the disposal
of the land clearing departments OF
the different states. Minnesota farm
ers have bought 1,773,5O0 pounds and
have been planning to give additional
large orders.
A. J. Schwantes, land clearing spe-
cialist with the university, says that
all orders which have been placed
with Washington will be filled from
BarksdaIe, Wis. In addition, there is a
limited supply still available at the
three distributing points, st. Paul, Be-
midi, and Virginia. This supply will
be sold at the regular price, $3.50 per
hundred pounds F. o. B. at the three
points. Sold in quantities ranging
from 100 to 1000 pounds, the mater
ial will be shipped directly to farm
ers.
Mr.. Schwantes says, that the United
States Department of Agriculture is
now testing various ingredients Tor
still another left over explosive which
IL is expected will be available. to
farmers for land clearing the coming
fall. Just what this new material
will be and what it will cost is not
vet known by university men.
-
California Livestock Barred From
Observation-Disclosures spread Of the
foot and mouth disease in California