The herald., 1894-04-15
will find 1t of tine greatest value to tho
interests you represent. Most truly,
(SignedD W. Ii. EDWARDS,

will find 1t OF the greatest value to tho
interests you represent. Most truly,
(Signed) w. Ii. EDWARDS,
Consul General.
Our consul general at Berlin had upon
investigation found the question such
an important one that he had instruct
ed our consul at Chemnitz to make a
careful investigation Of the question
and send to our government q report
giving the result OF his Investigations.
This correspondence is given to show
the deep interest felt in this question in
Europe and the feeling there that can
aigre is destined to become one OF the
great productions of this country.
While it is true that the plant grows
wild all over Southern California, Ari-
zona, New Mexico and northern Old
Mexico, still the wild plant cannot in
teriere with it's profitable cultivation
from the fact that the expense of gather
ing carload OF the wild root scattered
over section OF land is greater than the
cultivation and gathering of q carload
from an acre OF land.
As soon as the HERALD learned that
the special report on canaigre was to be
published by the government it applied
to Senator White for a copy, and is now
in receipt OF advanced sheets of the re-
port, which we lay before the public
through the columns of the HERALD.
The report ia as followe:
/ Advance sheets of consular reports,
April number. Department OF state,
bureau OF statistics. Washington, April
8, 1894.
CANAIGRE AS A sUBaTITUTE FOR BARKs IN
TANNING.
At the request OF Consul General Ed
wards l went to Freiburg and Thsrsndt
to find out all that l could relative to
canaigre as substitute for barks in tan
ming. Urged by investigations made in
America and spurred ON by articles in the
Leather Manufacturer, German chem
lists sent for canaigre and subjected it to
rigid, careful, comparative analyses. The
first efforts to find out canalgre'e value
for tanning failed because the tests were
made from the green plant. Still, 80
good we're the results, that a Scotch
firm offered to take 10 900 tons yearly if
1t could be sent for $40 per ton. Nothing
acme of the offer. Mr.. Either, director
of Vienna's experimental station for the
leather industry, took up the matter,
made original experiments and gave the
facts to the world in a email pamphlet.
He says canaigre is especially suited 20
upper. saddler's and fancy feathers. He
said further that 80 marks ($7.25), de-
livered in Vienna, per 100 Kilograms
(220 pounds) would be a moderate price.
He has only words of praise for the new
article. So, too, the tanning school at
Freiburg; although DR.. Haenlen told me
ne would very much like TO get a large
quap tity dried. SO as to make better ex-
periments than he was able to make
with what was sent him from Liverpool.
The value OF canaigre as tanning me-
dium is settled; the only question now
is to get enough at satisfactory prices.
The plant is native to many parts Of
America. 1t has long been known in
Mexico, both for its tanning and med
icinal properties. 1t grows we'll in
Mexico, New Mexico, Texas, both the
Qalj!nrniss TTtah nnd 4h- Indian nn--i-
In these places it appears in Fsbru.
ary, just after the rainy season, ripens
rapidly and is ready to harvest at the
end OF May. Sometimes it begins to
grow in the fall, continues growing in
the winter-of course in countries where
the winter is not severe-and gives in
the epring very strong plant.
AAO PiNAe hub uOC0 AhO EgObt Oub IL
reproduced from the latter, because no
experiments as yet have succeeded in
doing much with the seeds. The roots
yield the most fannie acid. Their
growth depends mostly on soil and
rain. The old roots, hard as wood and
almost black. are especially rich in
tannic acid. The stalks, stems and
leaves have tanning material, too
enough to pay for harvesting. The cell
juice in roots and leaves gives a pro-
nounced reaction when touched with
iron sulphate or double chronic acid
kali. Though thin cut in the root
with either of these reactionary agents
and precipitation takss place as soon
as this cell juice is met. Age adds to
the roots an excellent coloring essence,
as we'll as tanning material.
The following table tells its own story,
The canaigre tested was from l to 2
years old:
Per Cent OF Tan