The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-05-21
new PROCESS FOR
UTILIZING WASTE

Il
We believe that there is here n wide
field for economy Of the forests by the
use of annual plants Of rapid growth
aud that close study of its possibilities
will be of advantage to paper makers
and to the country in this age Of dis
appearing forests. The late Edward
Atkinson, the well known Boston econ.
omist, instituted and was conducting
at the time of his death experiments
in the use tor paper making of the
tall grasses that are now grown Who'll
for ornamental purposes. Mr.. Atkin-
son believed that he had found an
easily grown new paper material, and
ne was one whose imagination always
confined itself closely to the narrow
path between the hedgerows of close
clipper facts. Since his death we have
heard OF no continuance Of those ex-
periments, but they were certainly
worth while. Perhaps our resoufceful
department of agriculture might take
them up.-American Forestry.
The enormous amount of paper daily
consumed in the United States, hereto
fore made from forest trees, begins to
show in the increased price Of D.
especially as the raw material has been
supplied mostly from Canada during
the past 25 years, and Canada is try-
ing to check the great drain upon
mr. forests by placing an export duty
on wood pulp. Paper is one Of our
greatest modern necessities, yet we are
only beginning to use it industrially,
as it has been used for centuries in
China and Jaan in many ways, where
we formerly employed woven fabrics.
Many of our vegetable plants that are
absolutely wasted and are expensive to
get rid of each season could be convert
ed into superior paper pulp, such as
cotton stalks, corn stalks and even the
thousands of tons of fruit tree prun.
ings, grape vines, etc. Besides the
paper pulp and other valuable BIZ
products, all of these things would
yield valuable quantity Of denatured
alcohol, superior substitute for gaso-
line for heat, light and power. If the
annual waste products could be utilizz-
ed in the United States they would
furnish every demand for the best
quality of paper of every description,
which could easily be supplanted by
cultivation. The marsh lands Of Cali
fornia and along the stveams, lakes,
etc., the famous papyrus Of Egypt will
thrive luxuriantly and would afford an
annual crop Of several rnousand tons.
This would supply all of our "bond'
and high class writing paper. 1t could
be mixed with eucalyptus or other
a IN roru 10
Papyrus once rooted may be cut an
nually and will grow even more lux
uriantly by the cutting. Most all
semi-tropical plants would make su-
perior paper. The yucca, that abounds
| in southern California, Arizona, ETC.,
on the deserts make an superior "bank
tensively shipped to England for that
purpose.
In the Hawaiian islands the vast
amount of sugar cane, pineapple and
banana stalks and leaves could be used
for the highest grades Of paper. 1t 10
from plants of the same cactus family
that the beautiful fabrics, more high
lily priced and more durable than silk,
are made in the Philippines. Most OF
this valuable "raw material" ID now
going to waste, but should no longer be
allowed to do so, since cheap, effect
i've and profitable process has been dis
covered and is now available for turn
| ing the vast waste annually into mil
lions of dollars in gold, besides supply
/ ing the growing demand for more pa
per. It must be also remembered that
while the commercial value Of the
paper pulp is SO large it il small in
comparison to the value Of the denatur-
ed alcohol that may be obtained from
this same waste by distillation.
Unlike most industrial plants, re-
quiring large initial outlay and the
necessity Of transporting the raw ma
terial to the plant, these stills in units
of 100 to 1000 gallons of alcohol per
day, and the bi-products Of paper pulp,
etc, may be distributed over a wide
area near te raw material, requiring
transportation only of the partly manu-
factured product to large central finish
ing plants. This industry offers vir-
gin field Of profit SURPRISING anything
since cotton seed was first utilized Tor
its oil, oil cake and potash.
Government fuel tests have shown
that an alcohol engine, with the maxi
mum compression for alcohol, VIII have
80 per cent more available horse power
than a gasoline engine Of the same
size, stroke and speed. Yet with the
modern cheap method OF making alco-
hol from waste it con be produced at
cost, gallon for gallon, cheaper than
the present price Of gasoline, especially
at mining camps and other points dis
tant from railroads. Another great ad-
vantage as well as an element Of safe
ty of alcohol over gasoline is the re-
cent invention Of Carl Won Hartzfelt in
solidifying alcohol of 192 degrees of
proof so it may be packed in boxes
in place Of liquid packages.
DECORATION DAY FLOWERS