The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-02-03
MONEY IN coRNsTALKs.
An Industry Which VIII Add TO the Value OF
Corn Lands,

| the value OF corn lard from $3 TO !,
per acre will soon be established al
Wcsi Point, Va.
Corustslks have always been con.
slder,d about the most worthless
thin gs on the farm. The company
which will operate the West Point
factory will pay the farmers SO per
tor for all the stalks it can get. The
average yield is from one TO one and
half ton per acre.
The Marsden Company, of Phila-
delphis, will erect large plant at
West Point just as quickly as possl
ble for the manufacture Of cellulose
from the plth Of cornstslks.
The factory will be located at West
Point, between the railroad and the
bank of the river. There will be
several large buildings which, with
the machinery, will cost about $780,
600. probably more. The buildings
will be of brick, of frame aud CORFU.
gated iron. The main building will
he $50 feet lorg, 20 feet wide and
hree stories high, with windowed
roof. There will be one immense
warehouse in which the cellulose
will be stored, and probably one to
contain the different kinds of feeds.
There will also be ten large cribs for
cut stalks. Each crib will be 500
feet long, 30 feet wide at the top,
aud - feet high, with a capacity Of
about 10000 tons of clesu.cut
stalks. Between the cribs the stalks
will be piled from the farmers
wagons, or freight-csrs, or b)ats
There will also be large stalk-cut
ting building 20 feet wide aud l5O
feet long. Tue machinery used in
the manufacture of the celluloie is
quite complicated and costly.
The manufacture Of cellulose is q
comparatively new industry. 1t is
made from the pith of cornstslks.
The first patent on the product was
obtained in 1895. Il has Low at.
tanned immense proportions, the
Msrsden company manufacturing it
exclusively. 1t has factories at
Owensburg, Ky Linden, Ind, and
Peoria, Ill. The fourth will be at
West Point, Va.
KEEPS WARsHIPs AFLOAT.
Celulose is used chiefly for pack
ing the Golfer. dams of yarsbips. A
layer Of it placed behind the steel
plates of the hull makes it almost
impossible TO sink the vessel, since
when shot is fred through metal
and cellulOse, the latter owing to
its wonderful elasticity, closes up at
once, and prevents the admission of
water The United States Navy De-
psrtment early made exhaustive ex-
periments with cellulose, and found
1t 80 excellent for the purpose that
cocoanut fore was disregarded as
msterial.for packing warships, and the
new product is now used, exclusive
ly. England, Russia. and France
are now using the cellulose for the
same purpose. AS the corn-pith cell
lulose becomes cheaper,it is expected
that it will come into general use
for lining vessels of all kind, which
it is desirable to protect against
sinking. Naval Constructor Lewis
Nixon says the discovery and sppli-
cation of cellulose is of as vital i'm.
portsnce TO the navy as the develop
ment Of Harveyized armor and smoke
less powder.
SOME OTHER PURPOSES.
Cellulose is also used for nitrat-
ing purposes, for making smokeless
powder, and for packing, it being
the nearest perfect non.conductor
known against heat, jars, blows, or
electricity. Pyroxylln varnish, the
uses of which are practically un.
limited, is liquid form Of cellulose.
There are many other products
from cornstalks being manufactured
by the Marsden Company, and it is
about settled that these will be made
at West Point. Among them are
paper pulp and stock food, made
from fine ground shiyes, or outer
shells Of the stalks, and also from
the nodes or joints. The leaves and
tassels also furnish a shredded or
bsled fodder. Mixed feeds for stock
are made by using the fine ground
shives as base. and adding blood,
molasses, dlstillery and glucose re
fuse, sugar beet pulp, apple pomsce
and other by products. Poultry
foods are also made. This is only
bare mention Of the principal pro
ducts of cornstslks.
There is believed to be great deal
of money for the farmers in the sale
Of cornstalks. Fodder has never
been very valuable. The stalks can
be gathered and transported to mar.
ket at q season when the farmers and
their teams are idle.
HOW TO PREPARE STALKS.
The stalks must be cut six inches
from the ground, and be of the cur.
rent years growth; must be dry and
clean, and free from all sand and
dirt Of every kind. They can be
tired tightly in bundles or put up in
bales, with butts sll at one end,
so they can be readily handled.
No stalks with roots, or in any man.
or rotten, will be accepted. The
stalks complete with fodder and tops
ale preferable.
TIE price of SO per ton Of 2,24O
pounds will be paid for this pro-
duct delivered at the factory in West
Point. For territory convenient to
sll on rivers and railroad stations,