CHESTNUTS FOR MUNITIONS.

Taihape Daily Times, 21 March 1918, Page 7

CHESTNUTS FOR MUNITIONS.

An appeal was made in Britain towards the end of last summer to school children and others to assist m the collection of horse chestnuts lor the manufacture of alcohol for war munitions. The response exceeded all anticipations, advice that supplies were ready for transport being received from five tons to 25'0 tons, and the weight of the collections at individual schools or private residences ranged from 561 b or less to "as much as five tons. The Department concerned had a heavy task in accumulating the harvest, for the chestnuts had to be diverted to 20 drying stations, 16 railway systems were

used in the necessary"transport, and the cartage and transport had to be organised by an improvised staff. If, as is probable,' the aggregate tonnage eventually reaches 500~0\ It will have been saved. Assuming the grain to be wheat, the effort of the children will have given the country an additional 3,700,000 21b loaves. The nuts which have so far been used by the Ministry of Munitions have given excellent results, and if ths.. war should be prolonged the "organisation of the collection and transport of the horse chestnut harvest of 1918 will be

more systematically carried through