Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-04-15
MATERIAL FOR THE
MAKING OF PAPER

The United States with character
istic enterprise leads the world il
paper making, manufacturing more
than one-third of all the paper useG
on the globe. We also publish more
than one-third of all the newspaper!
published in the world With tht
increased and increasing demand fol
newspapers and magazines the ques
tion is staring US in the face as oul
forests disappear, 'where is the
material coming from for this great
output of paper" We are manufac
turing now over five million tons pei
year Or more than three hundred
thousand carloads. The United
States government ever alert to these
questions is conducting a series OF
experiment. Seeds of the shrubs and
small trees from the bark of which the
delicate lacy japanese paper is manu-
factured has been received and dis
tributed among the experimental
stations through the southwest. 1t
is the confident belief of government
specialists that within a year or two
practical demonstration will show
that new industry has been trans
planted from the east to America.
The prediction is made that within a
short time American factories will be
turning out all the fine japanese
paper to take the place of those now
imported into the United States.
The unique character of japanese
paper is due not so much to the work
manship as to.the peculiar plant used.
The mitSumata paper plant is the
one that is being planted through the
southwest, even on the Colorado
desert. On better soil, however, this
bush or shrub will yield two thousand
pounds of bark to the acre and is the
best and cheapest material yet dis
covered fer the manufacture of paper.
There are nine different kinds of
these shrubs grown in Japan for this
purpose, and from these nine different
kinds of paper are made. The demand
for this paper plant has become great
throughout Japan, entire planta-
tions in that land being devoted to it's
culture 1t is possible that we are
going back to first principles as The
first paper made by the Chinese was
from the inner bark of the mulberry
tree.
But it is the despised milkweed that
bids fair TO supply the paper mills
along the Wisconsin river, as the
inner bark of this weed or plant has
the most silky flexible fibre of any
plant native to this country. But
the most encouraging feature of this
plant is that it is especially adapted
to very light sandy soil. It is found
growing quite extensive on the sand
dunes along the shores Of Lake Michi-
gan. On the many acres of light
sandy soil where the pine has been
removed this plant can be grown in
great abundance. 1t will re-seed
itself each year and can be harvested
with mower and horserake and pre-
pared for shipment with the common
hay-press. II these experiments are
successful it will increase the value of
the lighter grades of sandy lands all
over the northern part Of the state.
England is manufacturing paper
from a Spanish grass grown IN South
Africa, but the bleaching process with
this product is quite expensive,
Experiments are being made con-
stantly among papermakers for some
material cheaper than spruce pulp
wood, which now costs nearly So per
cord delivered at the mills around
Grand Rapids.
While the paper industry has
attained the respectable age of some
thing like fourteen centuries it is in
its present development quite syoung.
| It's youth has been renewed many
times since the Chinese first made
paper and its last fresh lease of life
| was taken scarcely quarter of a
century ago when pulp-wood came
| into general use. The old men in the
industry can tell of many an interest
ing thing that occurred in their early
experience. While with the young
men almost every step of progress in
their apprenticeship has been stride
into fields new, not only to them but
also to their elders. From the old to
the new method the lapse of time is
less than from youth to middle age.
lSpeed is the watch word of today.
The International Paper company
MAKES piece Of paper two feet wide
and two thousand four hundred miles
long every day.
| The deSire for improvement ia
material conditions for better imple-
mentS and better material has marked
every stage of mans advancement.