Evening star., 1928-11-27
REPORT PORTRAYS
PHASES OF FARMING
Soil Content and Economic
Utilization of By-ProductS
Discussed.

The scope of research work being
conducted by the Department of Agri-
. cultures Bureau of Chemistry and Soils
has been considerably widened since its
reorganization in July of 1927 through
the combination of the old Bureau of
Chemistry and the old Bureau of Soils,
according to report released today by
Henry @. knight, chief of the new
bureau.
Various phases of farm productivity
now under investigation in the bureau S
laboratories include soil content and
erosion. crop fermentation and chem
istry, prevention of fires peculiar to
farms and the economic utilization of
various agricultural by-products. The
report made public today is the first
since the new bureau was organized.
Attacks Problems of Broad Scope.
by virtue of its broadened field of
activities" says DR.. Knight, "and the
co-ordinated effort within the bureau
the new organization is given the oppor-
tunity to attack problems along much
broader lines than has been possible in
the past under the separate organiza-
tions which hitherto existed.
I'm the MAN," he continues, "the ap-
preparations are made to the bureau for
the purpose of attacking specific prob
lens, the solutions of which are of in
tereSt to the business of agriculture,
and have, therefore, utilitarian OBJ
jective. However, direct attack upon
some of these problems in the absence
of essential fundamental knowledge is
wasteful of funds and energy"
Assuming that it is desirable for the
farmer to be in position to follow his
products through to the ultimate con-
sumner, If he is to be in position to
hi tn hn dc
of the market. DR.. Knight comments
that 1.-The research activities of the
bureau along this line should result in
the more economical utilization of farm
products and the production of more
uniform final products, thus benefiting
both the farmer and the ultimate con-
sumer. The widening of markets for
farm products through the development
of new channels for their industrial
utilization is an important function"
In more detailed consideration of the
farm waste Investigations, DR.. Knight
reports that in the year the bureau in
veStigated the possibility of making in
Sulating briquettes from corncobs and
evolved two plans that give promise of
satisfactory results.
Doubtful on One Point.
OF the prospects for the utilization of
COUS, DdSdSSc dllQ StIdW 1OI
making paper and composition boards,
DR.. knight is not entirely optimistic.
"Strawboard" has been in the market
for years and is now in competition
with other similar products made from
forest wastes, and this raw material
can probably be gathered, transported
and proceSSed at lower cost than corn
stalks" After contact with the indus
trial efforts toward such utilization, DR..
Knight says that lin the light of our
present knowledge, it is conServatively
estimated that it may take as long as
five years of mill-Scale work. at cost
of about $150,000 annually, to establish
the practicability, or rather probability
of making white paper or OF separating
cellulose from such raw materials. The
evidence available indicates that at pre-
vailing prices white paper cannot be
made profltably."
The carbohydrate investigators OF
this bureau, dealing chiefly with prob
lens of sugar manufacture and purih-
cation, also made a large-Scale test,
which will be continued. to determine
the practicability of manufacturing
starch from surplus and Gull sweet
potatoes. The bureaus work on dust
explosions on the farm and in in
dustry has been continued. and special
attention is being devoted to farm fires,
particularly those resulting from spon-
taneous ignition. Proposed research
work in this field calls for the devils
ing of a practicable way of storing and
handling gasoline and kerosene on the
farm.
Food Research Outlined.
The food research investigations in
clude, among many others, experiments
designed to work out quick and ac-
curate test of the injury to oranges
from freezing. The chemical changes
taking place in oranges during freez-
ing are being studied with the hope
that the extent of damage may be
predicted within a few days after the
occurance of a freeze.
Owing to the high cost of nicotine
as an insecticide, efforts have been
made to find substitute, and scien-