THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



103 



appeal to each individual to make himself more 

 useful and efficient as a part of the great whole. 

 What better advice can any citizen receive as con- 

 cerns his duties to himself, his employer or em- 

 ployes, his nation? Third, there is a piece of advice 

 which every business man should take to heart, 

 and of which he should make the most. Develop 

 and increase trade right here at home. Do not 

 worry about the markets shut off by war. Sell to 

 the home folks. 



As Mr. McCormick so clearly states, conditions 

 are ripe for a big "clean-up'' during 1915 right here 

 in the home market. Whether you are a farmer, 

 business man or manufacturer, make the most of 

 this opportunity. Help the oncoming prosperity 

 to arrive more quickly by putting all the push and 

 energy in your system into this year's work. 



In the last issue of THE IRRIGATION 

 Let Us Have AGE we urged the administration at 

 Food Washington to forget the various 



Conservation conservation fads, designed to tie 

 in the U. S. up the resources of the West and 

 hamper its development, and take 

 up real conservation the conservation of our food 

 supply. 



\Ve suggested that a special commission be 

 sent to Germany and to some of the other warring 

 countries to study the remarkable methods being 

 used there to make their food supplies go two to 

 three times as far as it did before the war began. 



Since we wrote that editorial, a United States 

 consular report from Germany has brought the 

 story of how the Germans are handling their po- 

 tatoes. Wastage of potatoes in the United States 

 is far greater than it was in Germany. This should 

 not be. Every ounce of food which the United 

 States produces ought to be made valuable. 



This official report on Germany's handling of 

 potatoes is decidedly interesting. We present it 

 to our readers in the hope that it may lead to some 

 ideas that will help to give vigor to a FOOD CON- 

 SERVATION campaign in the United States. The 

 report in part : 



"More intensive farming, if such be possible, 

 has been planned, as well as greater care in the con- 

 servation of products hitherto considered as waste 

 material. For example, potato peelings and beet 

 heads are now retained in the country or even col- 

 lected in the cities and returned to the farm to be 

 used as cattle feed. While the potato crop has 

 always been an important factor in the food supply 

 of the Empire, special efforts are being made this 

 year to further its conservation. Fortunately, the 

 cn>p-is an abundant one. 



"In normal times, on an average from 3,000,000 



to 4,000,000 tons of potatoes rot because of their 

 large water content. Efforts have been made in the 

 past to avoid this waste by the erection of drying 

 plants, and Germany has had for some time quite 

 a number of these institutions. Because of the 

 present dependence on its own resources, it has been 

 deemed necessary greatly to increase their number. 

 The government has already offered, by very favor- 

 able loans, through the Department of Agriculture, 

 to assist interested parties in setting up factories 

 for drying potatoes, the cost of each one of which 

 is about 20,000 marks ($4,760). These loans are 

 made with the low interest of 4 per cent, the pay- 

 ment of which is to begin only after October 1, 1916. 



"The redemption of the capital is to be made 

 in eight annual installments, the first of which is 

 due in 1917. The government protects itself either 

 by a mortgage or by some sort of security up to 

 the amount paid out and reserves the ownership of 

 the apparatus. 



"Every individual who receives such a loan 

 must bind himself to set up the establishment im- 

 mediately, the purpose of the government being to 

 dry as many potatoes as possible. 



"For the sale of the dry potatoes, a large syn- 

 dicate called the G. m. b. H. zur Verwertung von 

 Trockenkartoffeln (Potato Realization Co.), is to 

 be formed, to which the factory owners are pledged 

 to deliver all their products except what they need 

 for their own use. Every member must subscribe 

 for at least 1,000 marks ($238) of stock. Just as in 

 the sale of alcohol to the alcohol monopoly, the 

 manufacturer receives, on delivery, a first payment, 

 which is fixed by the committee. The balance of 

 the amount to be paid for the wares is figured out 

 at the end of the year. Only products of good 

 quality are accepted. The content of water, which 

 normally amounts to approximately 70 per cent, can 

 not be more than 15 per cent in the dried product. 



"The sale of the produce should be excellent in 

 view of the scarcity of cattle feed. It should in- 

 crease correspondingly with the consumption of 

 potato flour for baking. Many bakers have already 

 made bread with an addition of from 10 to 20 per 

 Cent of potato flour, of which half was made from 

 dried potatoes. In view of the fact that potato flour 

 is about 8 marks ($1.90) per 100 kilos (220.46 

 pounds) cheaper than rye flour, this should tend 

 to lower the price of this necessary food product. 



"A further considerable conservation of both 

 potatoes and cereals for food purposes has been 

 effected by the decision of the government to cut 

 down the production of alcohol by 40 per cent. This 

 is of especial importance in view of the increase in 

 the price of cereals since the outbreak of the war." 



