Evening journal., 1897-10-26
SLIPPERY BUSINESS.
Gathering Elm Bark Growing
Southern Industry.
Profitable Employment for Old and
Young Where the Trees Grow
Some Particulars Of the
Business.

Slippery elm bark is widely used in |
medicine to-day Long ago, when doc
Tors thought water when drank clear
was certain death to a person with
fever slippery elm came TO The rescue
Of suffering thousands, and when II
was put in water the patient was all
lowed 10 drink it. As the years wenton
and the doctors grew in wisdom, new
uses were found for slippery elm bark.
There are big factories in which this
bark is pulverized and it is prescribed
by physicians and sold by the druggists
for various uses. Sometimes it is for
poultice for some inhamed and irritated
place. Again, it may be used when there
is internal irritation TO soothe and allay
the suffering. Its uses are legion, and
for years the frugal people who live in
the rural districts of the east have had
lucrative employment In gathering this
bark.
In later years the eastern supply has
grown so short that the manufacturers
have had to cast about for new forests,
and have turned TO the south for their
supply. Accordingly last spring Allen
| Asher, Of Memphis, received an inquiry
from an eastern house wanting from
100000 to 100000 pounds of the bark.
This was last April. Mr.. Asher inserted
an advertisement in the papers inquir-
4 ing where and in what quantities the
bark could be found here. There were
II hundreds of responses, and a thriving
little industry has been established. Mr..
Asher tells the story of the bark in this
/ manner;
ITO get slippery elm bark in large
quantities is a new industry in this sec
ton of the country. Heretofore the
eastern manufacturers have been able
to get all they desired from nearby
points. Six or eight months ago we had
an inquiry from a large manufacturer
who is engaged In the business of manu-
(, featuring pure powdered licorice root,
tobacco flavor, etc. He desired to know
if we could get any slippery elm bark
in this section of the country and the
e probable cost and quantity to be OBJ
a tained and at the same time stated that
on account of its scarcity with them the
price had advanced two cents pound.
after looking into the matter care
fully found there was any quantity of
the bark TO be had in this section. In
Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and
Alabama l found by advertising that
. this bark was very plentiful, mostly on
ridges contiguous TO rivers. creeks, or
bodies Of water, and 1 Immediately cor
d responded with several hundred persons
( who had answered my advertisement,
e telling them l wanted the bark in large
MI quantities, and endeavored 10 secure all
IS this bark l possibly could. The mill
T which wants it desires to get from 100,-
Z 600 10 100000 pounds annually. This
of course, is a large quantity of tn,
! bark, owing to the shape in which il Is
= desired, and the fact that when dry it is
not nearly 30 heavy as when stripped
y - from the tree. A great many parties
!, who wrote to me with a view 10 getting
+. 10 out have. for one cause or another
, failed TO do SO, while there are numbers
2. OF others getting the bark and shipping
II it regularly.
n III the people would pay particular
q, attention 10 gathering this bark for tn,
/ market, it is so easily gathered and re
quite remunerative, especially as it car
r. be gathered from the time the sap risei
o until the fall. It is not necessary 70 Gu
4 down or kill the trees. II Is better q
r not cut them down nor kill them.
II. enough bark is left the parts stripped
s; will be covered thicker and better il
rs time. All that the mill requires is tina
Z. the outside or rough part of the barl
d, be taken OFF clean to the white part o
u the bark. Then, that the bark b.
y, thoroughly dried. and while drying pro
a tected from the weather. lfitis left on
,s in the weather so the rain and dew
d fall on it. it will mildew and becom
e discolored. When protected from tn
weather and thoroughly dry it is almos
4 perfectly white. After the rough par
L, Of the bark is taken of il can be strippel
from the trees in any width hnd il
$ pieces from three TO twelve feet lon
a. and then doubled over itself three &
"a three and a half feet long before dry
o. ing so that when dry it can be made int
nice shipping bundles easy to handle il
- transit
~ Il don't think the people realize hoy
to much could be made in this manner b.
N men and children engaged in farming
Of and il is really an extra duty, ald ca
he be performed when the crops are Tai
n by or when the weather is too wet {
a. plow or do other field work. or OF an
rs spare time. The frugal eastern peopl
ih have been gathering it for years TO SUI
ply the increasing demand of manufa'
ttrere N nd drtoroiefe
"We pay 3 1-3 cents a pound for th
el dry bark. So far the most of our SUI
e. ply has come from northern Alabam;
er Crittenden county. Ark. and along tn
ur line of the Illinois Central railway q
Us fardown as Grenada, Miss, but we coul
~ handle many times what we now ge
~ and would be glad if greater numbers
IN people would become interested in tn
O. industry. Many might find it MOI
in profitablethanc cotton. Memphis Con
ie- mercial Appeal.
nd An AuriferOus Inspiration.
I..t. 4