The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-05
CORNSTALK PAPER
Experts Say the Industry Will Be
RayolufiOnizod

Washington, June 5.-The casual
visitor around the department of agri-
culture cannot help but be struck by
the sight of tons of cornstalks lying
about IN the vicinity of that institu-
tion. His eye naturally sweeps the
green lawns for the place of their
origin, but in vain. These particular
cornstalks came from Kentucky and
they are the corner stone of what
promises to be in the near future
new industry Of the United States,
which has for its purpose the making
of paper out of this material. The
Kentucky product itself is an indica-
tion of the deep interest already taken
in the enterprise by member of con-
gress, Augustus o. Stanley of Ken
lucky.
Some days ago Representative
Stanley sauntered into the technologi-
cal department of the bureau of plant
industry. He found there DIR. Nathan
A. Cobb. in charge of plant fiber in
vestigation,s busy among his retorts
and crucibles making astrological
Investigation of cornstalks.
Takes Peep at Slide.
The interested congressman was
asked whether he would like to take
a peep at slide under a powerful
microscope. One look and the Ken
tucky congressman was transformed
into cornstalk-paper enthusiast He
saw under the glass long, strong
fiber, the most perfect paper-making
material yet discovered. according to
some theorists.
Representative Stanley was further
Informed tnat the bureau of forestry
of the department of agriculture has
long been warning the country that
the supply of spruce wood, from which
most paper is now made is in danger
Of early exhaustion unless steps are
taken to conserve that which now re-
mains. The subcommittee of the
house committee on interstate and
foreign commerce, which investigated
the pulp and paper industry last fall
and spring, has already reported that
1900 square miles of forest are de-
nuded annually for paper-making pur-
poses. This Mr.. Stanley learned, was
the reason why DR.. Cobb and his as
sistants were working long hours over
cornstalks.
Found After Many Experiments.
The congressman found out that
cornstalks were not discovered as a
proper basis for paper-making with
out long experiment with other fibrous
materials. In fact, the plain corn
stalk had a narrow escape from being
forgotten altogether. Flax, wheat,
straw, bamboo, cane, cotton stalks,
marsh grasses and scrub palms were
oil carefully examined before the
modest cornstalk arose to the dignity
which finally brought it under the
microscope of the experts.
OF course no congressman goes to
the out-of-the-way department of ag-
riculture without a mission in view.
Stanley was looking for something for
the second district of the state of Ken
lucky. Here was something's that beat
anything he had ever heard about He
went back to his seat in congress and
at the next meeting of the house COM
mittee on agriculture of which he is
q member, Stanley put his idea into
practical execution. He asked for q
cornstalk hearing, had DR.. Cobb tell
the congressman what he had discov-
cred and got an appropriation of $10,-
900 to continue his experiments.
Sends For an Expert.
His next move was to send for q
man named Sherwood down in the old
Second Kentucky district. This man
had patented an extra good stock
food made out of cornstalks and he
came to Washington at Stanley's re-
quest and told the department experts
how he did it. The experts. after talk
ing to Sherwood. reached the decision
that they had proceeded far enough
to warrant the building of a paper
making machine for the handling Of