ALCOHOL 3 
Quantity of Heat Yielded in the Com- 
bustion of Aleohol 
It has been estimated that 1 gram (a) 
of gasolene will yield on complete combus- 
tion 11,000 calories, (6) and 1 gram of 
pure alcohol 7,200 calories. No determin- 
ation of the heat of combustion of ordi- 
nary commercial gasolene of the grade 
commonly used for fuel is found. Prod- 
ucts of that nature appear to yield from 
9,700 to 11,000 calories. In so far as 
heating purposes are concerned, there- 
fore, it is evident that gasolene, weight 
for weight, is more valuable than alco- 
hol. 
Alcohol Motors 
It is quite certain that the use of al- 
cohol motors on the farm will become 
quite common as soon as the technique 
of construction is practically complete 
and the price of alcohol is sufficiently 
low. Alcohol can be used for all purposes 
for which gasolene is employed, namely, 
the driving of wagons, carriages, sta- 
tionary motors, water pumps, mowing ma- 
chines, plows, ete. Very little change 
need be made in the engine of a motor 
car designed to use gasoline to fit it for 
the use of alcohol. Gasolene becomes 
volatile at a temperature of blood heat 
(98.5 degrees Fahrenheit), while a much 
greater degree of heat (158 degrees to 
176 degrees Fahrenheit) is necessary to 
volatilize alcohol rapidly enough for mo- 
tor purposes. This fact makes necessary 
a change in the explosion chamber of the 
engine when alcohol is to be used. This 
adjustment is especially important in the 
starting of the machine, as after it is in 
action the temperature of combustion is 
quite sufficient to easily produce the gasi- 
fication necessary. 
In regard to heavy machines it may 
be said that they probably would come 
into use only on large farms where the 
surface of the soil is practically level. 
They would not be suitable for small 
farms nor those in hilly sections. In this 
connection attention is called to the fact 
that steam plowing, although practicable 
al gram — 0.038527 ounce, or 15 grains. 
bA ealorie is the amount of heat necessary 
to raise 1 gram of water 1° centigrade (1.8° 
Fahrenheit). 
ed 
and profitable under certain conditions, 
has not been practised to any great ex- 
tent in this country, in fact, not nearly 
so much as in England. It is not likely, 
therefore, that plowing and harvesting by 
alcohol motors will come into use very 
soon, although the possibilities are worthy 
of the consideration of the thoughtful 
farmer On the other hand, it seems prob- 
able that small motors for driving ma- 
chines for chopping and grinding cattle 
food, pumping water, and similar pur- 
poses may be brought into very general 
use as soon as the denatured alcohol be- 
comes cheap enough to render its use 
practicable. 
In the driving of motor engines the 
quantity of heat evolved is not always a 
measure of eficiency. It is not the pur- 
pose of this article to go into this subject 
at all, only to say that the vapor of alco- 
hol can be more highly compressed at any 
given temperature without exploding than 
can the vapor of gasolene. As the de- 
creased volume of the mixture of the ex- 
plosive vapor and air is to a certain extent 
a measure of efficiency when engines are 
driven by the expansion of gases, the high 
degree of compressibility of the alcohol 
vapor without danger of explosion may 
compensate for the smaller quantity of 
heat which is generated by its combus- 
tion. 
The problems connected with the use 
of alcohol for driving machinery are 
somewhat technical, and it is only de- 
sired to call attention to the possible ad- 
vantages to the farmer from this source 
of power, and also to point out the diffi- 
culties which must be overcome. In this 
connection it seems that a word of cau- 
tion is needed, as in the exploitation of 
tax-free alcohol extravagant opinions re- 
garding its possibilities have been ex- 
pressed. These exaggerated statements 
have been made without any intent to de- 
ceive or mislead, but on account of in- 
sufficient information. The natural tend- 
ency in all such matters is to select those 
points which are certain to be of great 
benefit and publish them broadcast, and 
to neglect the difficulties and dangers 
which lie in the path of progress along 
