36 DEHYDRATION OF FBUITS AND VEGEXABLEB. 



Chemistry a sum of money to carry on work, experimental and prop- 

 aganda, for this very jjurpose. The Bureau of Chemistry has been 

 at work on that line, in cooperation with the trade, and we have 

 also purchased two small plants, costing, uninstalled, about $2,500 

 each, one of which is installed in central New York; the other has 

 not yet been delivered, owing to the manufacturing difficulties of 

 getting any kind of machinery delivered at the present time. 



Senator Ransdell. Where is that to be? 



Dr. Alsberg. We have not decided where it is to be installed, 

 Senator. 



The Chairman. I should think it would be well to locate it in 

 the Southwest; Oklahoma should be selected. 



Dr. Alsberg. The matter comes down really to a matter of sales- 

 manship. We are up against the same proposition that any merchant 

 is up against who wishes to put upon the market any new product. 



The Chairman. I was just going to ask you. Doctor, whether the 

 scientific work you have spent upon it has not demonstrated to you 

 the feasibility of this process beyond any question of doubt ? 



Dr. Alsberg. There is no question about it, sir. 



The Chairman. And it is now a practical question of getting the 

 plants installed? 



Dr. Alsberg. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. Do you agree about the product being substan- 

 tially as good as the fresh vegetable? 



Dr. Alsberg. That depends upon what you mean by "as good." 

 It has the same food value. It has not in all cases exactly the same 

 flavor. It is not in all cases exactly the same product, any more than 

 the ordinary dried apple that is on the market is the same product 

 as the fresh apple ; but the dried apple is a very useful and valuable 

 food, and has the food value of the apple from which it is made. 



So some of these vegetables will be regarded as just the same 

 as the fresh product when they are properly prepared; others will 

 be regarded as bearing the same relation to the fresh product that 

 the ordinary commercial dried apple bears to the fresh apple. But 

 that is an aesthetic matter — a matter of taste and not a matter of 

 value in the diet. 



Senator Ransdell. In substance, they have stated it correctly, as 

 you understand it? 



Dr. Alsberg. Yes, sir. 



Senator Norris. I want to ask you about this sample of corn that 

 was dried on the cob. Is that the practical way to dry it? Can you 

 take roasting ears and dry them? 



Dr Alsberg. I have had no personal experience with that. 



Mr. Gore. It is very easy to dry corn, but not on the cob. 



Senator Norris. Have you dried corn on the cob? 



Mr. HoRST. I have done that, too. 



The Chairman. The gentleman who dried that, we will have him 

 make a statement. 



Senator Norris. Were these samples of corn dried on the cob, as 

 you see them here? 



Mr. Hogle. Yes, sir. 



Senator Norris. And it is a practical proposition to dry the corn 

 on the cob ? Does it not take a great deal longer and require more 

 labor and hot air to do it ? 



