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The Lowly Cattail: An Energy Source ?

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In the scramble for new alternative sources of energy, a surprising candidate comes to the

fore: pattaib.

Research into the feasibility of wing cattails for energy, currently being conducted at the University of Minnesota-St. Paul, came aft’'a-* surprise to several Ope May County marine biologists; but the idea, they say, is plausible. Cattaib, being researched because of their high productivity,could not be cultivated successfully in the vast wetlands of Cape May County because the

plants need a brackish or freshwater base, Ann Galli, . marine biologist at the Wetlands Institute said. \ "I don’t know that there would be anything extensive enough in Cape May County to properly cultivate a cattail crop,"

Galli said.

"It would depend on where one could fincL the proper salinity." Ouster Belcher of the Plant Materials Development Center, a division of the United States Soil Conservation office in Cape May Court House, agreed with

Galli’s estimate of the cultivation of a ha rves table

cattail crop in the county. "I wasn’t eVen vaguely

aware that anything like that (research) has been

going on," Belcher said. The Court House Plants

Materials Development Center has been experimenting with planting cattaib on tidal river banks in the area to provide stabilization against

erosion, Belcher said. But, be admitted, the

lowly cattail does have possible potential as. an

la tentative energy source, would say it b not

WHAT LURKS IN THE heart of the lowly cattail? An alternative energy source say some researchers.

unlikely cattaib could be used as a source of alcohol," Belcher said. In fact, any vegetable source is a possible energy

source, he added.

A much more likely candidate for an alternative energy source in Cape May county would be phragmates more familiarly known as the common reed or reed grass, Belcher suggested. The grass, seen in abundance along the roadsides of the county, stands about six tonine feet high, is plumed and generally grows at the edge

of a marsh.

Phragmates has a greater potential for energy production becawe it provides more dry matter than cattails, Belcher said. Reed grass b a hardier strain of plant that actually competes with catUib in some instances. GaUisaid. If cattails could be practically cultivated they would serve the dual purpose of providing a better habitat for wildlife nesting, she added "If it (cattail cultivation) could . be managed as a renewable resource that would result in no loss of habitat b would be worth looking into," Galli said. Belcher said hta office is not engaged in energy research and deals primarily with the control

of erosion.

Some research b being conducted on the use of eel grass, common to the area, for insulation, GalH said. Regardless of whether

■ the cattail ever becomes a source of energy in Cape May County or not, its possibilities are intriguing. According to research conducted by Douglas C. Pratt at the University of Minnesota, cattaib could either be compressed into bricquets or treated to produce liquid and gaseous fueb a process called

pryoKsb.

The briouet form hasproven only 20 percent efficient so far. The liquid fuH, though perhaps promising a better energy yield b not yet pure enough for wide spread use. Theoretically, one tdll of oveodried cattail biomass contains 15 million Brittbh Thermal Unib (BTU). One BTU equate 252 calories, or the amount of heat energy required to cause a one degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature for one pound of water. At this rate, 15 tons per acre, per year would translate to 225 million BTU’s per acre per year, no niggardly sun. Several advantages of a wetlands "energy plaints t ion approach" according to Pratt, are: in wetlands, cattaib would not Compete with traditional agricultural crops for land or organic matter; wetlands are natural nutrient sinks, especially for nitrogen, so cattaib could help purify water be removing these pollutants-nutrients; cattaib "-have exhibited unutilitzeo; harvest can be compatible with wildlife ha bit tat; the energy source b fully renewable; unlike

Murphy Says He’s ‘Common Senjse Candidate’

OCEAN VIEW - Frank Murplty does not believe in campaign promises and formal platforms with confusing planks of issues. He does not believe in "Politicians'’ and hard aprty line stances. To Murphy, Democratic candidate for Cape May County Freeholder, what b needed now and after the campaing dust settles Is good old horse sense and a proven ability to serve the

i, the most overlooked answer to problems facing the people b just plain old common sense! "Murphy said. Common sense, coupled with hard work and dedicated service to hb constituents is what has made Mirphy an effective force in Dennis Township government, the candidate said. And, it b what he b banking on to win Mm the freeholder Md Murphy, who faces off

against Republican candidate Jack Bittner of Ocean City, emphasizes a past record of civic achievement as hb platform. "I do not have to prom be what I might do if elected Freeholder," Murphy said. "Hb people of Cape May County Just have to look at what has been accomplbhed. What has been accomplbhed in Murphy’s two terms - as Dennis Township Committeeman and one term as Mayor include taking charge and ignoring bureaucratic red tape when lives were threatened in the township because of an unsafe railroad crossing. Angered over official dbinterest in a Dennisvilie Railroad creasing that had no flashing light signal, resulting in the death of several persons, Murphy installed temporary flashing lights at tbs crossing, had overgrown

brush cut andinstailed stop signs at the crossing. The state government was not pleased. But, "they found out they were dealing with a "fighter" in Frank Murphy—a man who would not Ibten to their bureaucratic excuses," Murphy said. As a result, permanent flashing lighb wore installed at the crossing and no more deaths have occurred. That disposed of. Murphy tackled the growing pollution of Dennbville Lake The candidate organized a Dennbville Lake Committee and was successful in getting the state DEP, the N.J. Fbh and Game Dept., the Clean Waters Organiatlon, Congtessman Bill Hughes Staff and Gov. Bredan Byrne to vbit the lake to view the situation. The results of an in-depth study eventually traced the source of the pollution to the State School at

Woodbine. Tile state has since authorized $l-Mi million to upgrade the sewerage of the dbposal

system at the Woodbine school. Murphy also points to hb (Page 3 Please)

plan fanr

FRANK MURPHY

some energy technologies, especially nuclear power, cattail fuel would not add vast amounts of non-solar heat to the environment and because these "energy 'farms" would simply recycle carbon dioxide removed during photesythesb, using cattaib for fuel would avoid increasing concentrations of this gas in the atmosphere, a problem with buring fossil fueb like coal

and oil.

In addition, cattaib have an extended growth season from first thaw to first frost. They are able to regenerate both from rhizomes (rook) and wind-

pollination.

The problems still to be worked out in drawing up

for the /'energy

farms" include discovering an inexpensive harvesting method. It b not yet known whether cattaib are adaptable to mechanized planting and harvesting techniques becaise of the water saturated areas in

which they thrive.

Economics, indeed, b the greatest potential limit to using cattaib as an energy source, Pratt reported. Cattail energy harvesting would be most beneficial when produced on a small scale, by individual communities, Pratt suggested. Such a plan would help small towns become more energy self-sufficient while revitalizing rural areas by providing Jobs raising and manufacturing products

from the plants.

And, if use of the cattail aa an energy source proves prohibitively difficult or uneconomical it still has

other uses.

Believe it or not, cattaib can be used as a food source . for humans and livestock. Cattaib store large amounts of edible starch that can be processed into flour for

aminal food.

"Almost every part of the cattail b edible at some stage or other," Galli said. The biologist said she has personally sampled various parts of the cattail. The plant had a taste of cucumber in one part and potato in another, she said. Flour can a bo be made from cattaib, she added. Historically. The American Indians ate cattail rhizomes and ground up cattail tendrils to make a dbh resembling mashed potatoes. Cattaib can abobe made into corking for wine barreb, and they can be made into paper. The brown seed heads or catkins were used by the Indians as a soft insulation for infant cradle boards. (Page 3 Please)