The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-05
WHAT MOSS IS USED FOR.
An Industry That Few People Know
Much About.

MlCH AOOoI'
Few people have any idea of the quantity
of moss thar is used in the furniture bust
ne in Savannah. at is an important
! factor in the business Of furniture dealer, "
said the head of one of Savannah's largest
houses day or two ago.
"Experience has taught us that nothing
we IN find will supply the placeof moss
Cotton, which was formerly ustd, Jumps
up in a mattress, and is unfit toy furniture
padding. Besides, it does not hSt half as
long. and it comes h CHER to the purchaser.
We use moss in II oSt of our parlor sets.
1t IS used. in fact, in every padded article
of furniture, unless it be an exceptionally
fine piece OF furniture Then hair is used. $"
"Where does the moss come fromN
From the country people We get
great deal from as far up the river as
thirty-ave miles, but the most of it is
brought in BY people who live in the county
and close to the city. It brings from II
cents to ~ cents per pound. The average
price per pound is "a cents"
What is the difference i'll price"
"Some moss is better cured The price
varies with the quality. Poorly cured
moss has to be worked over before it is in a
condition to be used. This grade brings
about " cents Well cured moss finds
roadv market at Al cents.
How is it curedF"
''The moss gatherers bury large quaint
ties of green moss from the trees in the
river or some creek near by and anchor it
down with heavy weights. After it has
beel there about three months it is taken
out and summed for day and it is ready for
the market. There is really little labor at
tached to its preparation. A person can
gather abont 400 pounds day, and in half
that time the same quantity can be buried
in a stream and it cures itself. 1t is
profitable business and but few people
know 1t. There are people living in the
country who make their living in curing
moss for the market"
"How many pounds is required for this
market yearlyP
al could not say exactly. We use about
90, 900 pounds in our establishment. |
should think the half-dozgn other furniture
houses here used at least twice as mnch.
This would be putting it at 10000
pounds, or about thirty tons"
us it shipped at all to other markets"
"Oh, yes. There is an increase of the
quantity shipped north every year. We
Shipped several thousand pounds to New
York last year. The amount shipped north
is not included in the 1900 pounds used
here"
"What do the northern furniture dealers
pay for moSsF
"Six cents 1t is the cheapest moss they
can get, and they take all that they can get.
Buggy manufactures use it extensively in
cushions and backs to vehicles. Occasion
ally we have orders for a few hundred
pounds by repalrers in the city, and we
make it to them at 10 cents
Before being put into furniture the moss
is run through a picking" machine, which
works over the trough" moss and that not
properly "cured." The capacity of ma
chine is about 800 pounds day. Formerly,
the time consumed IN picking the same
quantity of rough" moss by hand, was
something on the order of a threshing
machine.
The quantity of moss in this county, and
the COUNTIES adjoining, would supply the
furniture world for long time. Age does
not inJure the tibrous substance, and if the
market should ever become glutted, with
drawal from the market could follow with
out damage to moss men.