DEHYDRATION OF PEUITS AND VEGETABLES. 35 



as that, and you have all gradations from the home drying, with a 

 primitive plant, which does turn out some very good material, to 

 the superb stuff that is turned out by the $5,000' or larger plants 



Senator Noebis. How would the small plant be able to compete 

 with the larger ones ? Is the unit of cost a great deal larger in a small 

 plant? 



Mr. Fairchild. I have not gone into that feature of it, but I think 

 it ought to be gone into. The difference would probably be very much 

 in the same ratio as in any other similar operation, such as milling, 

 etc., with the exception that cheap household labor might be employed 

 on the farm with small plants — cheaper than in factories. 



The Chairman. Canning plants. 



Mr. Fairchild. Canning plants or anything of that kind. The 

 larger the unit, up to a certain point, the more economical the process, 

 depending upon the supply, because, of course, the cost of hauling the 

 vegetables to the mill is one of your important factors. You have got 

 that haul always to consider, and you could not haul a load of sweet 

 potatoes more than, we will say, five or six miles with a team and 

 make it pay. 



Senator Smith of Georgia. No. In one of these big fields in South 

 Georgia a man could afford to put up a plant, and with an automobile 

 truck bring the sweet potatoes for 20 miles around to his plant, and 

 they could be bought very cheap ; and if there was a certainty of a 

 market they would be raised in enormous quantities. 



Mr. Fairchild. The market could be had. 



Senator Smith of Georgia! At 50 cents a bushel you can beat 30 

 cents a pound, I know, with sweet potatoes. 



The Chairman. I remember Jefferson once said that whoever in- 

 troduces a new food plant into a country rendered a great public serv- 

 ice. I suppose that would be equally true of a man who devised a new 

 food for an old, such as this sweet potato flour. 



Mr. Fairchild. It appeals to one's imagination. 



The Chairman. It would mean a tremendous demand for sweet 

 potatoes. 



Senator Smith of Georgia. Of course, I mean 50 cents a bushel 

 right out of the field. 



The Chairman. We will now hear you. Dr. Alsberg. Kindly state 

 your name. 



STATEMENT OF DE. CARL I. AISBERG, CHIEF BUREAU OP CHEM- 

 ISTRY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Dr. Alsberg. Carl L. Alsberg, Chief of the Bureau of Chemistry, 

 Department of Agriculture. 



The Chairman. We would like to hear anything you have to say. 

 Doctor, concerning the process of dehydration and the results of it. 



Dr. Alsberg. I have very little to add to the statements which 

 have been made, which are very full and cover the subject, except 

 that it may interest you to Imow that the matter is one in which the 

 Department of Agriculture has been at work for many years. 



When the assignment among the various bureaus of funds under 

 the appropriation made in that food-production bill was under con- 

 sideration, the Secretary of Agriculture assigned to the Bureau of 



