Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1901-11-28
The PINE NEEDLE INDUSTRY.
what CALIFORNIA; s.s oreGes are De-
ing NiEht be Done A.osG the
sesth~rn Ptses-

Southern Oregon and California
have given 10 the United States a new
industry: that Of converting the fiber
and extract of the pine needle into
coarce cloth. stufting for mattresses
and pillows. toilet soaps. cough can
dies and sirup- From the success with
which the manufactured articles are
meeting. and owing to the abundance
Of pine to BE- found on the mountain
ranges Of the coast. the industry
promises to become of more than or
dinary importance in the western
states The industry has been known
in Germany for more than fifty years.
but il was 10; brought 20 the United
States until four years ago. the first
two factories being built in Grants
pass where they are doing n thriving
business to-day.
The trees from which the availabI
needles are picked are known a. the
yellow. or ball pine. They are found
in abundance in southern Oregon. The
needles are picked by men. women
and children; IS cents per hundred
pounds are paid for th~ work: 500
pounds represents an average days
picking for one person A. soon as
the needles are picked they are
hauled az once TO the factory. 80 rs
not TO lose any Of their good qualities
By willing or exposure 70 the sun.
Arriving az the factory. the needles
- arrrnr,..E me. 49,, u...-.=-,.r -.
where they remain for six or eight
hours. until they become a. soft and
flexible a. rubber. The needles are
from eight to ten inches in length.
The extract or pine needle oil i So
cured by the disfillatiOn of the nee
dies in the steaming vat. II requires
1000 pounds of needles TO make one
gallon Of extract This extract is used
in making pine needle strip. soaps
and candies. These articles are noted
for their medicinal qualities sr5 { v .i-
efficiency in the = ne pistol tbs
colds ssrnf be took "a pulmonary
G5s sud / shout
oil. and pee-ss of making the fiber or
f.ae needle wool i wholly mechani-
cal. The needles are removed from the
steaming vat and conveyed TO rolling
machines. which removes the inner
part of the needle and leaves only the
I tough. woody. and siIk-like outer coat
This is a rich brown in color. Then
they 70 through washing. driving
and heating process. which. when
/ complete. makes a fluffy. soft. and
Z light wool fiber that Is unsurpassed
in many particulars as a stuffing for
mattresses. pillows and cushions Mat
tresses and pillows stuffed with this
/ fiber are lighter than those filed with
wool. and nearly as light as those
stuffed with feather down There Is
a pleasant permanent odor of the pine
forest emitted from such mattresses
and pillows that Is a positive cure fo7
sleeplessness. headache and bronchial
troubles Thus far i different ar-i-
Giles are manufactured from the pine
needle fiber and extract. The articles
are all meeting with popular favor
everywhere. and a all the southern
Oregon farmers possess an endless
amount of the trees. which are ben.
Gifted by having the needles picked
from them in the spring and fall. the
new industry promises TO become a
most important branch of the west
agricultural indusrry.-Agricultu
/ Epitomist