Uses of the Potato 271 



potato starch are used for the manufacture of dextrin or 

 British gum, as it is called ; in which form it is used for 

 various kinds of mucilage, as, for instance, that applied to 

 postage and other stamps. The manufacture of dextrin 

 of this kind is an important branch of the industries con- 

 nected with starch. 



The pomace or residue which is left in the manufacture 

 of starch from potatoes has been used to some extent as 

 a food starch, and its use as a food will be discussed later 

 under food for stock. 



USE FOR INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL 



Next to starch, industrial alcohol is the most important 

 product of potatoes. The potato is one source of such 

 alcohol, and in Europe, especially in Germany, is the chief 

 source. As yet this sort of production in connection 

 with potato-growing has not gained a foothold in the 

 United States. But a brief survey of the wide extent of 

 the practice in Germany may throw some light upon its 

 possibilities. 



In Germany, with the extension of the cultivation of 

 the potato, which gives a larger starch yield to the acre 

 than the cereals, the distillation of alcohol has become 

 largely an agricultural industry. The use in Germany 

 of potatoes for making alcohol has steadily increased 

 from 1,915,800 pounds in 1855 to 4,706,820,000 pounds 

 in 1905. The consumption of potatoes has increased, 

 therefore, nearly 2500-fold during 50 years. In this 

 connection it must be remembered that the starch con- 

 tent of potatoes has also been increased. The best 

 indication of the growth of the potato alcohol industry 

 is from the output of the finished product. 



