Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21

Spanish moss. Hemp and fax production
should be largely extended; jute production
and the growth of sisal hemp, pineapple
and bowstring hemp are possible. Cane
fiber can be produced in large quantities.
The paper materials other than Esparto
are not considered. The native fibrous SUBJ
stances that might be employed in lien of
cellulose from forest trees for paper min
would make long list, at the head of
which might be placed the waste fiber from
seed.
The author of the book has this to saw
on the subject Of pulp material:
"a day Is surely coming when the cues
ton OF securing new pulp materials will
present itself, and 1t is to be hoped that
from the long list Of native species of
fbrous plants enumerated in this work
something will he found that will sunply
at low cost a better paper material for
common use than. wood pulp, which has
nothing to recommend it but availability
of raw material and cheapness"
OF vegetable fibers imported into the
United States for the year ending June
80. 1897, sisal grass led the list, the money
paid for it amounting to 1854. SOL Manila
hemp followed, amounting to s., 594, SOL.
"Jute cults" were imported to the value Of
S1,OA. 152. Between nineteen and twenty
million was the whole amount of vegeta-
not represent, the author states, the value
of the fiber industry to this country. He
says:
TT should be remembered that considera-
bly, larger quantities of many of these
flberS are manufactured in other countries
for export to the United States, and that
the total value Of our imports of raw and
manufacturer is equal to three or four
times the value represented in the table.
Our raw and dressed fax imports amount
to perhaps 81, 1900 while the imports of
fax manufactures have reached $12, 600 600.
Even Mexican manufacture from sisal
IT. 49, <xaI,. T.
the United States and the imports of cord
age and yarns from various fibers are con-
siderable Where SH0o0.OO0 worth of
fill ers are now manufactured in this coun-
s4O,010,OO0 worth. and thus double the
home fiber industries; and it might easily
be possible to produce home grown fibers
to the extent of half of the supply needed
in the manufactures that these industries
represent.
The Commercial List.
while thirty or forty species Of plants
supply the worlds demand for CONNER
cial fibers, hundreds Of fibrous plants could
readily he enun Grated. the simple fiber
subNance in many Of which to outward
appearance is just as good as the fiber of
scmc OF the commercial species widely Gull
substitutes. This country imports millions
Of dollars worth Of jute annually, yet
some of the plants recognized as native
weeds in the United States contain strong
er and better fiber. That many of them
are capable Of producing good quality of
fiber has been known for years. yet they
are not utilized"
The government has conducted expert
ments or instituted inquiries in the fiber
interest at various times in the last fifty
years but it is only since 1880 that an Of
flee of practical experiment and inquiry
has been established by the Agricultural
Department that has been continued
through term of years. I. is known as
the office of fiber Investigations. The work
of this branch has been directed mainly to
the development or. Introduction of those
fibers which are not produced commercial
ly here, but are capable of cultivation. The
work has heen prosecuted by the importa-
ton and distribution of the seeds of fiber
plants. and number of other ways.