The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-09
.gGl4IPALMETTO LEAVES. l.,y4
Their value TO be Tested In tho Mans.
-.-T-E.5 faeture .os Paper. -
rErom the savannah Advertlser, Jolly 7.l J.

=. .I.
From the Savannah Advertiser, July II y
As part of the cargo Of the steamship
Darien, cleared yesterday for Liverpool we
ieayes, which, upon inquiry, We learn are sent
to England to be tested and their value deter:
miued as material for the manufacture OF
fSome one will one Of these days find out
what this is good tor" ls remark We nave
to be found in portions OF South Carolina,
The palmetto Of North America, Of which
there are four species. (all OF them familiar 70
oI,r readers, viz: The cabbage" saw"
ssdwarfn and s'blue.") belong TO- the great
pslm tribe, the distinct species Of which ex:
ceed one thousand In number. Their Valre TO
man can hardly be computed, as their various
products enter 30 largely into the supply OF
hts wants and even luxuries. Many OF Inc
palms furnish hard timber suitable for Duild-
fngs, and all of them furnish flores various
and useful for hats cordagei mattlng. &c.
Our own cabbage palmetto is no exception,
aince Its wood is imPeryious 70 tne sLIack s,. q
the shIp-worm. and incorruptible In salt water,
and is consequently valuable for submerged
&rtiOns OF wharves. -
We viii not attempt complete list Of the
products Of the various species of the palm;
but number Of them are easily recalled with.
out reference to the Nauthorities." Among
them Wlll.be found wine, oil, wax, flour: sugar,
salt, thread, sage. bread, vegetables, ivory, the
resii, called dragons blood" the rattan Of
Commerce, dates and cocoanuts. Many OF the
fruit,beariDg species furnish TODD for entire
tribes Of men. ) To this already long list ID noW
to be added paper. The list OF materials 0lf
of which paper Is manufactured is already
hong one and Is constantly being Increased.
For any material out Of which paper can be
nrof,ta6Iv made the demand will always exceed
the supply. Rags have failed TO supply the
demands OF paper.makers In this age OF print
Ing. cheaper, more aounaanC more
is essential to the .undelayed advance
of civilization Itself Straw Ils cneap ana
abundant, suited to the msnulscture OF
low grades, but undesirable tor the better
qualities OF printing paper: Wood has been
rised to some extent, and the swamp cane OF
the South is coming into extensive use as
paper material. While these and other nDres
are being tested and used In this country
there Is one that has maintained for centuries
a high reputation Tor various useful purposes,
and within q few years has almost monopollzed
the European market for paper msterial-tne
stsrartun1' Of Piiny, known aC this DAY as
esparte grass 1t fourishes 10 spain and Port
ugal and in North Africa. This grass is now
used in large equantiues in England for paper.
making, The London Times, Thr nderer OF
Great Britain, is printed upon paper made en-
tIrely from this material. The quantity I'M
ported into Great Britain is increasing each
yesr, and IN 1856 fifty tons were Imported,
and in 1871 500 TONS
ICompIaint is being made In England that
the supply IN the lands nearest the coast
OF Africa and Spain Is being exhausted through
had management, and that the area Of growth
must be extended. or only an Interior article
can be obtained. This will Increase the cost
of production, and makes 1t necessary 70 oo-
tain some new fibre In its place. One OF the
Immediate effects OF the general alarm anong
the English paper makers, caused oy tne
careless pluckiug up by the roots OF their Ia
yorite grass, has been the organization OF tne
London Paper Stock Company" THIS com.
pany, which proposes dealing In GIL mstepals
for making paper, was registered In May iast
with a capital of fl0,000- and have areaay
Commenced the search for something 10 lake
The place of OF to mix with esparte.
= The gentleman whose sample shipment mas
called forth these hastily compiled re-
marks has studied the subject patiently ana
caretully-is thoroughly. posted IN all tne
details incident to the collection and shlpmens
of tha leaves. He believes they will be found
to to compare cor fsvorably with esparte as ma
tsrisI for psper making, and that they can De
probably shipped for this purpose.