The sun., 1890-03-30
CLOTH FROM PINE NEEDLES.
The Process Employed In Ono OF tho New
Southern Industries,

Southern Industries.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
WILMINGTON, y. c.. March 1s.-In a little
village nesting in the pine forests OF North
Carolina there has been quietly maturing for
several years an industry destined 10 further
demnnstratg to tho world the boundess re-
manufacture from the pine trees long leaves.
Soo Sr nee neeIies, les Of Zine iiEre for spinning and
artic les Of commercial value
only green Jaw Is used Tor baggng. Good
sound. dry, straw would answer the purpose
iust as well and make quite as good hagging.
but the green straw is preferable. The raw
material is furnished by negroes principally.
straw from the ground they would be likely to
mix foreign mattor with It. or take straw that
we're informed that in North Carolina H1''i where @
cut yearly, all the, straw necessary may
be StriILed from the trees after they are
fellcd. This provides good livelihood for the
negroes as one man and his family; consist
pounds II day, and at l5 cents per 100 pounds,
which is the price paid for the straw at the
ton truly. for one days handling @ Of % the light.
clean; and wholesome pine needles. The straw
can also be stripped green from the standing
to bend down the bouRhs. The trees are not,
however, entirely stripped OF their leaves. but
are treated the same rs, the Henneuuln plant.
i,e.. by pulling of first the oldest crop which is
the lower, and leaving the younger or upper
crop on their the tree to keepit eltye until the next
stripping Of the under leaves does not. like the
turpentine business, affect the life OF the tree,
alone. the under crop would fall Of when the he
new crop made its appearance. From the sur
In OK carts and wagons, una the company have
also establi shed small com presses at different
points within a radius OF forty miles where
natives. and compress it into bales for greater
convenience Of transportation to Cronly
one.story frame building 200 H ieet TT long I Gy
100 feet wide known as the hbre mill Here
down to small bulk and subjected to the action
Of chemicals for twelve hours. After this the
chemical liquor is run off and the straw SUBJ
ings." which occupies about thirty-six hours
more. Il is then ready for the next opera
rnGbn Sn Which oss obd f SsnF t699HTh
SsGSsT and md e1nnE 'uS RsASa;
the finished pine flbre. This continuous proc
ess. transforming the straw wet and greasy
beautiful wooly fibre. is a mary ell OF mechanical
skill and interest. and cannot fail t" delight
the spectator especially when he remembers
possible and practicable the manu- acture OF
pine straw hagGng in competition with Iute or
ical. rs well as the mechanical processes en-
plSyed in The i ibTe mill are "a araatented
veyed in a car on light tramway to the spin
ming and weaving mill. Here the fibre is iilst
put over chrd9r for the PURPOSE merely OF
frame. At this point becomes apparent the
pared with iufe, The pine ilble comes to the
spinning mill all ready for use. whereas the
!ue butts s, must ,st 60 through many opera
On the drawing frame two or more are taken
and drawn into one, so as to make the yarn
mex: goes to rowing or spinning mach Inc. after
leaving which. part OF It is taken and spoiled
Re TRe and ast Is 6e
weaving OF the fabric on regular Jute looms.
alter which calenderinG machine measures
We had now followed tho pine straw from
the OK cart on the scales to the finished bag
OF visitors were surprised and pleased with the
exhibition they had witnessed would but feebly
express their sentiments.
factory to be visited. and We followed our
guides to the second story Of tho spinning
tions we're hefore us Here were rows OF
machinery OF q finer and more complicated
or eo baseR Of The
capacity Of this department were. however. not
wanting Hanks OF yarn OF varied and brill
limit hues hung from the walls on all sides,
and number OF handsome specimens OF col
ored mattinGs. suitable for churches. stores.
us. conclusively demonstrating the ability OF
the company to supply the trade in this line
when they are reisred OF the present drain
specimens also proved that tho brown pine
fibre Is susceptible OF bleaching TO q fine crenm
color. and takes readily dyes Of various shades.
which make up in attractive patterns.
For every foot Of me chantable pine timber
there are at least two pounds OF pine needless.
and eight pounds OF needles make one yard of
two-pound bagEng. That is to say, every four
feet of merchantable pine timber Will yield
tho company commenced operations they have
received. from within radius OF four miles.
2l,42S,OO0 pounds OF pine straw. capable OF
making 2.5OO.OOp yards OF two-pound bagGinG.
country in which the laetofy, is locGt-
the Government. show that in fifteen
counties OF North Carolina there are 5,229.OOO,-
600 feet OF merchantable pine timber. with
straw in ono years crop capable OF making
over l.O0O0O0,o0O yards OF baGeing, which
would cover a cotton crop twenty times as great
as that Of the season Just passed. The New
Orleans Times UentOTdt some time ago pub
shed STATISTICS showing that the states Of
doorsis Florida, Nor,h and Soa,h Carolina:
and Arkansas. contain 2l2,937, 900 900 feet OF
mere hantable pine timber, from which tho
yearly crop OF straw would amount at 10
aGa'' and would it make o.O65Oo6 yards OF
cotton bagginR OF course much OF this
Is not available for manufacturing purposes on
account OF transportation and other causes
ngures do not include SIaaplings, which.
while not 1T for timber will produce their
quota OF straw. Taking tho exports Of pine
lumber alone. We fnd that Wilmington, Pensa-
cola, Fernandina, ,Jacksonyle: and savannah
the straw OF which would make l25,OOQ,U0O
wards Of bagginR. And this does not include |
The lumber cut for crossties and domestic pur.
poses which would OF itself annually yield |
more than enough pine straw to clothe the en-