DEHYDKAnON OP FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 41 



of November with these samples. Probably some 200 Government 

 officials have viewed them at the Lafayette- Hotel, and many of 

 them have taken them home and tried them, and without exception 

 they have stated they could not be distinguished from fresh vege- 



And now, for our present needs under war conditions, as an indi- 

 vidual, and my associate, Mr. Hulbert, felt the same way, our first 

 duty was to the United States Government, and with that in view 

 we came to Washington with these samples and tendered the free 

 use of this process to the Government, together with my services, 

 without remuneration for the term of the war. 



The Chairman. Is it a patented process, Mr. Hogle? 

 Mr. HoGLE. Yes, sir. For the erection of sufficient capacity, first, 

 to take care of the entire needs of the Army and Navy, after which 

 plants could be erected as desired throughout the country to take 

 «are of the needs of the civil population. The matter has been care- 

 fully considered by various departments. The conclusion has not 

 yet been reached. 



Senator Noeris. How long have you been at it ? 

 _ Mr. Hogle. I arrived here the 12th of November. My first propo- 

 sition was that the Government should build the plants and operate 

 them themselves to produce these products. I was then requested to 

 ascertain on what basis I could secure the plants, and what the 

 capacity necessary would be; what would be the cost of the plants, 

 and what would be the cost of the products, and in what length of 

 time those plants could be put into operation. 



With this in view I took the matter up with our engineers in Chi- 

 cago, and they advised that they could supply f . o. b. cars in Chicago 

 sufficient capacity to feed 1,000,000 men within 90 days from the day 

 they received the order, and that those plants could be put into opera- 

 tion within 60 days from arrival at chosen destinations where suffi- 

 cient green material was available. On the present basis of 20 

 ounces per man per day, which is the Government ration, all the Gov- 

 ernment requires to feed 1,000,000 is a daily capacity of 650 tons, 

 which is only about equal to the capacity of our smallest beet-sugar 

 plant, which plants range in capacity from 500 tons to 1,000 tons 

 green per day. Our greatest need in these products for the civil 

 population is in the thickly populated districts, where green vege- 

 tables are available temporarily and usually at prices beyond the 

 reach of the ordinary consumer. Now, with meat and eggs at present 

 prices and green vegetables practically unobtainable to the average 

 man, he is in pretty bad shape, and it is my understanding that the 

 Government figures to-day that we are now losing approximately 

 54 per cent of our fruits and vegetables in this country that come to 

 maturity, and they are never available, for either human or animal 

 consumption, from such causes as rot, poor transportation facilities, 

 poor marketing facilities, undesirable markets, market conditions, 

 etc. In Germany, I am informed, on July 1, 1916, there were 861 

 dehydrating plants in operation. I quote from the New York Sun 

 of December 9 [reading] : 



In Tune 1914 there were 480 dehydrating plants in Germany producing 

 intiiinUv aiiout a Quarter million pounds of potatoes alone. In a food conserva- 

 «or™aiOT organized at the time of Germany's first declaration of war 246 

 new dehydrltion plants were added, 190 of which were aided by Government 



funds. 



