OTHER USES OF THE MAIZE CROP 797 



"It is at this stage that the real making of de-natiirecl chap. 

 alcohol by these several chemical and manufacturing processes xvn - 

 begins. The pure grain alcohol is carried over in long pipes 

 from the distillery to the de-naturing bonded warehouse in 

 another part of the great plant and stored in an immense 

 tank. 



"All along one side of the place are huge, white-painted 

 wooden tanks, and at the head of the line a weighing-tank 

 with scales attached, into which the pure alcohol is drawn for 

 measurement, and where wood-alcohol and benzine are added 

 before the de-naturing process begins. Pipes lead to each of 

 the de-naturing tanks, one tank being reserved for each of the 

 formulas at present prescribed by the Government. 



" Uncle Sam keeps scrupulous watch of the manufacture 

 to see that no pure alcohol escapes to any quarter without 

 paying its due portion of tax, and that all is used in the de- 

 naturing processes which render it, nominally at least, un- 

 drinkable. 



" What is known as the ' complete ' de-nature is made up 

 of 10 gallons of wood-alcohol to 100 gallons of grain-alcohol 

 and the further addition of \ gallon of benzine. This is the 

 mixture as it is weighed in the weighing-tank and cast off 

 thence into the other tanks where special formulas are 

 prepared. Off at one side of the warehouse is a room in 

 which are stored all the materials used in the different com- 

 mercial de-natures. . . . 



"When these de-natures are finished the barrels are rolled 

 up and filled from the tanks, and the gangers keep record of 

 it all. To distinguish the de-natured alcohol in shipment from 

 the ordinary alcoholic products, green-painted barrels are 

 used to contain it, and for the shipments to the great 

 chemical manufacturing houses of the East steel drums are 

 employed." 



It is largely the damaged or inferior quality grain which is 

 used for the preparation of de-natured alcohol, and distillers 

 state that the better qualities of South African maize will be 

 too expensive for this purpose. But there will always be a 

 certain amount of damaged, inferior, and native-grown grain 

 which would be available in South Africa, and there is a large 

 distilling plant a few miles from Pretoria, now lying idle, which 

 could be made available for the purpose. 



Alcohol could also be obtained from the stalks of the 



