292 THE POTATO 



be made. For industrial alcohol the sole purpose 

 should be to secure the largest possible percentage 

 of alcohol without reference to its palatable prop- 

 erties." 



Consul John H. Grout, Odessa, Russia, says: 



"In the alcohol-distilUng industry of Russia 

 potatoes are annually increasing in importance, 

 the alcohol produced therefrom exceeding that pro- 

 duced from all other sources. 



"Aside from the large quantities of potatoes 

 purchased every year by the factories from peas- 

 ant producers and estate owners whenever these 

 may have a surplus which they cannot more prof- 

 itably dispose of, there are large plantations 

 devoted solely to the production of potatoes for 

 distilling purposes, there being also a tendency 

 to increase these plantations. 



"The potato crop of 1910 for European Russia 

 was greatly in excess of that of the previous year, 

 which was also a good one, and the quality of the 

 tubers was in most districts better than in 1909. 

 It is generally supposed that the climate of Russia 

 is favorable for the production of potatoes in vast 

 quantities, and that, with the aid of fertilizers, 

 their production can be increased to meet all 

 demands of distillation, the production of dena- 

 turized sprits for industrial and illuminating 

 purposes now being only in its infancy." 



DRIED OR DESICCATED POTATOES 



It is the opinion of Secretary of Agriculture 

 James Wilson and other close students of the food 

 supply of the world that there should be some way 



I 



