792 MAIZE 



CHAP, maize plant if they were cut at the right stage of growth, and 

 XVIL especially if the sugar-content of the stalk were to be increased. 

 It has been suggested (Pacific Rural Press, 8 Sept., 1906J 

 that alcohol will yet be produced at a much lower cost 

 than has ever been known, by the utilization of waste maize 

 stalks, husks, cobs, etc., but this problem appears to be still 

 a subject of experiment. 



763. Gas for Illuminating and Heating. — In an article in 

 The Garden Magazine for November, 1907, the following 

 statements were made: — 



" The Middle West has found a new use for the straw and 

 corn cobs which heretofore it was necessary to burn in order to 

 get them out of the way. On June 15th, 1907, at Beatrice, 

 Neb, a plant was put into operation which manufactures 

 illuminating gas from straw, corn-cobs, and things of that sort. 

 The gas is sold to the residents for one dollar per 1,000 ft., 

 which is seven dollars less per 1,000 ft. than the price charged 

 for coal gas by a Company in the same city. Ton for ton 

 more gas was produced from the vegetable matter than could 

 be produced from the best Pennsylvania coal, 16,000 cu. ft. 

 being taken from a ton of cobs and straw, which is 60 per cent 

 more than the coal could have produced. 



" Another advantage of the vegetable gas is that it produces 

 660 British Thermal units of heat against 600 units for the 

 coal gas. From now on there is no reason why towns of the 

 Middle West should not be provided with gas plants, for there 

 is abundance of fuel which may be had for the hauling, which 

 costs a very small amount per ton. It costs six dollars a ton 

 in Beatrice, Neb., for coal from which to manufacture gas. 

 Gas plants already in operation can be converted to use straw 

 and such things." 



The following information on the subject was obtained 

 from an attorney of long standing in Beatrice, Nebraska, 

 the city referred to, and was courteously forwarded by Dean 

 C. E. Bessey, of the Department of Botany, University of 

 Nebraska : — 



" It is true that when the new Gas Company first started 

 here they used straw, cornstalks, cobs, etc. They advertised 

 this fact very much in advance, claiming that a better and 



