THIRTY CENT BREAD 47 



and navy and the general excellence of the finished 

 product rise to confront the whimsical and arbitrary 

 red tape in army and navy which has not only re- 

 sulted in the discouragement of the dehydrating 

 industry but which makes us now unable to supply 

 the nations of Europe with the product demanded 

 by them. An accumulated reserve of these foods, 

 held over from other years, could have been ready 

 for use now. That it is not at hand only emphasizes 

 the importance of acting at once. 



Behind these facts lies the 1914 report of the 

 Quartermaster General, War Department, United 

 States Army, in which appear these words : 



§ 24 — THB T^ST 



"After soaking and cooking the dehydrated vege- 

 table closely resembles the fresh product and also 

 as to taste and quality. This new form of treating 

 vegetables makes them somewhat like the old desic- 

 cated vegetables in use in the army in previous years 

 but superior in quality and flavor. 



"During the years 1898 and 1899 the difficulties 

 experienced in shipping fresh vegetables to the 

 Philippines -suggested the use of desiccated vege- 

 tables, which at that tirrie were extensively used by 

 miners in Alaska and other remote mining regions. 



"Considerable quantities of desiccated potatoes 

 and onions were purchased for the Philippines and 

 on occasions were issued to the troops in lieu of the 

 fresh articles. There was such a general prejudice 

 against these vegetables that the Subsistence Depart- 

 ment was left with a large stock on hand which 

 eventually became a loss. The fresh vegetables are 



