PART 11. 
ton yielding about 83 gallons of alcohol and at the present price of say 
Shs. 20/- per bag the material alone necessary for making one gallon 
of alcohol would cost 2s. 8d. 
Maize: Maize contains 65—689% of fermentable material and a 
ton yields about 83 gallons of 95% alcohol, equivalent to 60 gallons 
per acre with an average crop of 8 bags per acre. Assuming the cost 
of maize delivered at the factory to be 8/- per bag, the material for 
making one gallon of alcohol will cost 1/1. Maize alcohol might 
compete with the present price of petrol, but it could not do so if 
prices fell to 1/6 per gallon, unless the maize could be purchased for 
3/- per bag. The residues from each ton of maize used contain 51 lbs. 
of oil, which could be recovered cheaply by expression, leaving 224 lbs. 
of eake. The profit realised by selling the oil for edible purposes, or 
soap manufacture, and the cake as a fertiliser, should enable the 
manufacturing costs of the alcohol to be reduced by about one penny 
per gallon. 
SweeET Poratoes aNp Yams: Sweet potatoes contain 25% of 
fermentable carbohydrates and yield, in practice, 33 gallons of alcohol 
per ton. At 5d. per load, or 14/- per ton, the potatoes for making one 
gallon would cost 5d. and aleohol production would be possible. 
~The probable acre yield in Kenya is only three tons, equivalent 
to 100 gallons of aleohol, and with a gross return of Shs. 42/- per acre 
it would not pay to grow the crop. Further, sweet potatoes require 
a rich soil which could be put to better use in growing a more valuable 
crop such as maize or coffee. 
Yams: The acre yield of alcohol is similar to that of potatoes, and 
for the reasons stated the commercial production of alcohol is not 
possible. 
Cassava: The fresh roots contain 259% of fermentable matter, a 
commercial yield of 37 gallons of alcohol per ton being obtained. 
The factor controlling the price at which Cassava can be delivered 
at the factory will be the harvesting expenses, which are high, as the 
roots have to be dug up by hand; but allowing a fair margin, it should 
be possible to produce Cassava for 15/6 per ton, i.e., 5d. per gallon 
of alcohol. This is based on the assumption of a nine ton acre yield 
which is stated to be the average in several countries. Yields of 6.8 
and 9.0 tons were obtained from plots at the Scott Agricultural 
Laboratories this year, and the yields at the lower altitudes should 
be not less than this. 
Cassava, which thrives on light soils, is drought resisting, and it 
is not improbable that it could be grown successfully on large areas 
below Sultan Hamud, which at present are wholly unproductive. The 
possibility of growing Cassava profitably in this area is put forward 
merely as a suggestion, and experiment on a small scale would prove 
definitely and at little expense, whether the crop can be grown under 
the climatic conditions obtaining there. 
Assuming a crop is obtained annually, and the yield is only seven 
tons, 1,500 acres would provide sufficient material for a unit distillation 
plant, but allowing for the preparation of the land between crops 
twice this acreage would be required. 
MATERIALS CONTAINING SUGAR: 
SuGar Cane: Seventeen gallons of alcohol are obtained from a 
ton of cane and assuming a crop yield of 35 tons, each acre produces 
595 gallons. The cost of growing cane in Kenya, including delivery 
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