The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1893-04-21
Ghelemnrraf-S Star
NEW Uses FOR PALMETTO.
lcrn LumbcrInan.

Ssutlern LumbcrInan.
Palmetto is the common name
given the only varieties ul Tie
palm tree family i~ndigeous 10 the
United States. There are only foul
recognized varieties, aud they are
all native of The Southern States,
and found only near The coast line.
There is n allied variety found
only in CallIo.nia. The leading
American Tree of Tins family is
commonly called the cabbage pal
meltO (sabal palmetto by b0ldn.
ists). II is aiall tree, often nifty
feel in height, and So different
tlOm all other American trees in
appearance AS TO form very no.
ticeable feature in the landscape
along the coas, line.
The palmetto first gained histor.
ical prominence by being used in
The haSty construction of a tor, on
Sullivan's island. now a beautiful
aud popular suburb of the city OF
Charleston, s. G. This lort-call.
ed Moul,rie-was bombarded by
eight vessels Of IA British heet, IN.
der command OF Sir Peter Parker,
consisting of As vessels, the eight
taking action against this crude
and unfinished fort, carrying 262
guns of The then most formidable
pattern. The action lasted from
about moo Till nlne o'clock at
night. and while the British loss
was very serious in me aud ships,
there were only u OF the Geleaders
of The fort killed and 2G wounded.
This little historical event taught
the whole world the fact tina, the
palmetto tree IA moi lie split or
splintered by cannon balls or by
any other means. 1t differs IRON
all other American trees in thai
its growth is from The outside by
successive layers OF leaf growth,
and has no more of what lumber
men call ''grain' than n cabbage
stalk: Botanist call this class OF
plants "evogens," and those lha,
grow by natural rings "endogenS."
The palmetto Is the only indlgeors
plant OF the United States we
know of belonging to the "eXo.
gems" that aliains arboreal proper.
tions, and only enc Of them.-lhe
sabal palmetto.
The trunk Of this tree has been
long used for wharf piles and 9th.
er structures in e water exposed
to the attacks of leredO navalis
and other SEA worms that So quick.
Iy destroy all other kinds Of woods
in sea water. The leaves of some
varieties have been used for max
ing fans, hats, ~thalches, and for
garbage.
Recently il has been discovered.
that the few growing palmettos,
that are much more plentiful than
TIE sabal palmetto, contain "A much
larger percentage TT tahnln, or
fannie acid, than any other vegela.
bic growth available in the United
States, and i, therefore of coming
importance and value to tanners.
1t is stated on good authority thai
the best oak tan bark does not con.
tain more than IS per cent of tan
mic acid, and hemlOck bark only S
per cent, while the palmetto con
tains abou, II to - per cent. The
advantage The palmetto has il :.is
respect Is that it can he cut at any
season of the year, while oak and
hemlOck bark can be peeled only
during a short time in one season
OF the year.
Heretofore the tanning Of hides
into leather for domestic use has
been done almost exclusively in
the Northern States, The freight
ON a car load of hides from The
Pacific States TO The great tan
nerleS in the Eastern States aver
ages abOum SlCO car load. The
rate on Car loads of hides from the
Southern States TO The same tan.
neres, and return freight, on the
leather, or the finished products,
simply amount TO 4 wa>tetnlness
that Is %inexcnsable in a people who
have growing wild, without eX.
pense, almost at Their doors, the
means Of tanning their own lealh.
er. More than that, The larger
proportion OF leather u,ed il the
Southern States is made from the
hides that come from the pampas
OF South America-lrom Brazil.
Uruguay, Paraguay, Argenlina,an
other countries. The freight ON
these hides certainly should no,
be higher to Pen-acola, Fernando.
ma, Brunswick, Savannah or
Charleston, than TO Boston, Lynn.
Philadelphia or New York.
1t strikes US that a little enter.
prise might develop a highly
prosperous business out of the un.
tried qualities Of one of the neg.
lecled and somewhat despiyed for.
est growth OF our coast Iand., com
monty called saw palmetto.