The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1941-02-28
FZZZZZZZZZZXZZZXZz
Farm Product Research
BrightenS Rural Picture
Government ChcmurgC Laboratories Seek
New Outlets for Raw Materials
OF U. S. Agriculture.
by BAUKHAGE
National Farm and Home Hour Commentator
WNU Service. 1895 National Press
Bldg. Washington, ID. C.

WNU Service. 1895 National Press
Bldg, Washington, ID. c.
From four strategic points in the
United States members of the de
partment of agriculture are looking
into the future and slowly and care
fully planning the way toward new
uses of the product Of field and
farm. They are the men directing
the work in the new laboratories of
the bureau Of chemistry and engi-
neering.
The layman who takes a quick
look over the shoulders OF these men
may get little dizzy. AS sat in
the office Of one Of them taking
handed me. labeled ~. S. Dept.
Ayr. Soybean-Phenolic Plastic" l
had difficulty keeping down to earth.
I saw the cornficlds of my native
state suddenly producing the fuel of
tomorrow, l saw husks and cobs
running farm and factory machin-
cry and automobiles, and cornstalks
turning into paper. Plants and
vegetables from the farms Of the
nation became all sorts of gadgets
from airplane parts to ash trays, a
gallon Of milk turned into a lady's
dress, a pumpkin into a limousine.
AT this point was taken by the
hand and led gently back to earth.
l was reminded that "chemurgy,"
which is what the modern Aladdins
call their art, is still in the list of
new words" in the dictionary. I
looked 1t up. Chemurgy, / found,
means that branch of applied
chemistry devoted to industrial uti-
lization Of raw materials, especially
farm products, al use Of -soyhean
oil In paints and varnishes, and Of
southern pine for paper pulp"
Attack Surplus Problem.
That definition by no means gives
the true picture of what the four
laboratories of the department of
agriculture are doing. In the first
place it is necessary to point out
that the government chemists are
combining their research efforts to
farm SURPRISES and to what is now
waste. They are bending their eff
forts to discover new uses for farm
products rather than trying to de-
velop products to compete with
present markets. The objective, re-
duced to purely material terms, is
more cash for what the farmer
raises.
The decision of the congress of
the United States in 1893 TO vote
81 ,000. 900 for these four laboratories
to carry on this research was not
sudden thing 1t was the gradual
realization that in this changing
world, new conditions have proved
that making two blades Of grass
grow where only one grew before,
will not solve the farm problem.
International trade restrictions,
wars and rumors OF wars, revolu-
tons both economic and political,
have conspired to create great sur
pluses Of farm products. The job
today is to find new markets for
those products. 1t is a long-Tange
job
DR.. Henry knight, chief of the bu-
reau Of agricultural chemistry and
engineering, describes the function
OF his new organization as q combi-
nation OF three kinds OF research
One is finding new facts about the
substances he is dealing with. That
is the kind of thing that goes on in
the laboratory of the professor of
physics. Another is improving and
controlling the quality Of a product
and lowering the cost Of its manu-
facture. That is the kind OF re-
search q manufacturing concern
carries on.
Then there is the third type Of ex-
Fermentation which an industry de-
Veloping new products follows, the
attempt TO discover and develop
methods for processing or combin.
ing various raw materials TO pro-
duce useful products.
Wider Markets Sought.
"These are the three basic types
Of research" says Dr. Knight,
(which will be employed in the four
regional laboratories to find new and
wider markets for the farm com
modties assigned to them"
These four laboratories are locat-
ed in four areas in which four diff
fercnt types OF farm products dom
mate
In the western laboratory in Al
bany on San Francisco bay. fruits
and vegetables and alfalfa are the
chief concern. The eastern labora-
tory is in Philadelphia Here to-
bacco and milk products are stud
led The northern laboratory is at