Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-12-05
The New Pine Needle Industry.


industry Of converting the fibre
and extract of the pine needle into
coarse cloth, stuffing for mattresses
and pillows, toilet soaps, cough candies
and syrup. 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 prom
ises to become of more than ordinary
Importance in the western states. The
industry has been known in Germany
for more than fifty years, but it was
not brought to the United States I'M
til four years ago, the first two facto-
ries being built in Grants Pass, where
they are doing a thriving business.
The trees from which the available
needles are picked are known as the
yellow, or bull pine. They are found
in abundance in southern Oregon.
The needles are picked by men, women
and children; twenty-five cents per
hundred pounds are paid for the work;
600 pounds represents an average
days picking for one person. AS soon
as the nae1les are picked they are
hauled at once to the factory, so as
not to lose any of their good qualities
by willing or exposure to the sun. Ar
irving at the factory the needles are
dumped into huge steaming watts where
they remain for six or eight hours,
until they become as soft an1 flexible
as rubber. The needles are from eight
| to ten inches in length. The extract
or pine needle oil is secured By the dis
| tillatiOn of the needles in the steaming
vat. 1t requires 1000 pounds of
needles to make one gallon of extract.
| This extract is used in making pine
needle syrup, soaps and candies.
| These articles are noted for their me-
dicinal qualities and their efficiency in
the curing OF coughs, colds, and all dis
eases Of pulmonary character.
The process of making the fibre or
| pine needle wool is wholly mechanical.
The needles are removed from the
steaming vat and conveyed to rolling
machines, which remove the inner
part of the needle and leave only the
tough, woolly, and silk-like outer coat.
| This is a rich brown in color. They
go through a washing, drying, and
heating process which, when complete,
makes fluffy, soft and light wool fibre
! that is unsurpassed in many particu-
lars as a stuffing for mattresses, pill
lows and cushions. Mattresses and
pillows stuffed with this fibre are
| lighter than those filled 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 pill
! lows that is a positive cure for sleep
lessness, headache, and bronchial
troubles. Thus far eighteen different
articles are manufactured from the
pine needle fibre and extract. The
articles are all meeting with popular
favor everywhere, and as all the south
ern Oregon farmers possess an endless
amount of trees, which are benefited
by having the needles picked from
them in the spring and fall, the new
industry promises to become a most
important branch of the vests agri-
cultural industry.
Ice for the Farmer.
Too many farmers neglect putting
up ice Some think it is luxury, but
it is a real necessity. During the hot
days of summer the butter can be kept
solid and in the best condition, the
milk may be kept sweet, and the water
can be kept cool by the addition of
chunk Of ice. Ice cream may be had
whenever it is desired, without wait
ing to go to town first to get the ice
Some farmers say they can buy ice
cheaper than they can put it up. yet
these farmers never buy ice, SO they
have to do without, while the man who
puts up ice has plenty.
We will see as to the cost: Our ice
house holds twenty tons. 1t took two
men two days to cut out the ice, and
two men, two days, with two teams,
! to haul it. Counting the men at S1.00
a day each, and the drivers and teams
at $3.50 each, making the cost of fill
| ing the house with ice, S14. 1t took
one man with a team three days to
haul the sawdust, at $3.50 per day,
amounting to $3.50. The total cost of
putting up the ice and hauling the saw
dust amounted to s2150 Ice costs Is
cents per hundred and twenty tons
would cost 500, giving the farmer
who puts up the ice balance of $3.50,
besides the convenience. Thus it WI.
be seen which is the cheaper.
1t is the general opinion that it takes
house built especially for the purpose
to store ice in. These houses are best
but other buildings can be utilized
when these are not at hand. Ice can
be stored in a wood shed, tool shed or
any good building. Ice will not keep
as well in these buildings as in an ice
house, but they can be used. l remem-
Der, we put up ice once in building
having tin roof, and everybody said
II wouldn't keep. But it kept nicely
1t IS best to build an ice house in the
side OF hill, putting a drain in the
bottom, to carry off the water that &C
cumulates.
The ice should be put up while it is
very cold, as when it is thawing the
ice is wet and bad to handle The
ice should be sawed out in squares just |
large enough so that one can hanuIo |
a block easily. Ice hooks should be |
used to null the bIockc of ice out of !