El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-06

the Paint Oil and Varnlsh
Dealers association, which
opens in Richmond. Virginia, today,
viii consider matters affecting the
interests of every householder. The
manufacture Of paint in the United
States is a rapidly growing indus
try which abs trebIed its value with
in the past quarter of a century.
The paint manufactures in this coUn-
try, which has treblbed its value with
in value, and nearly S5O.OOO,OOO worth
OF material was utilized in its pro-
auction. American ready mixed paint
IS known throughout the world, so
tnat q considerable proportion of our
manufactured products went to for
elgn countries. On the other hand the
United states imports a. large quantity
OF ready m mixed paint as wei as the
crude material for its manufacture.
The consumption Of paint in the United
states is greater than that of any
other country in the world.
Past Year Not a Good One.
The past year has been bad for the
paint trade in the United States
chleIIy because tae linseed oil supply
zen snort and the price Of tupentine
was so nigh The shortage Of linseed
OIL has been becoming more acute for
several years. The advance in the
Selung price Of paint has been made
Dy the manufactures reIuctaurlv Tn
many cases they have lost money On
me nuIk Of the sales during the past
Two years. ETen now the prices of
pa{aL are based on oil at IS cents per
5dl-OA whereas most Of the paint
now on hand contains oil which cost
Eh6 dealer from go cents to SI05 Dar
gallon. This is the paint which must
no matter how much the price of lin
seed oil may fall during the next six
months, that used for the paint now
IN nand cost the manufacturer a good
Present estimates for the current
years American flax crop range from
10 to 20 million bushels This viii not
be available until Dectmber or jan
uary. Canada VIII probably supply
i've or six million bushels more of
lax seed, bringing the total supply
g. tq nearly % million bushels be-
1ore February or March. after which
Hnseed from Argentina. will be avail
able. Just how much seed viii be pro
duced In that country is not yet
AnoWn. Large as these figures sound,
lhey DO not indicate a sufficient supply
TOR the demands Of the paint and var
nlsh trade, when 1t Is taken into con
Sloeratlon that nearly half Of the lin
SEED Oh available IS used for the
Manufacture OF liuOleums instead OF
paint and varnish.
Need More Linseed.
The need Of a larger supply Of lin
every person connected with the paint
and varnish trade AT the convention
OF the international Association OF
master Housepainters and Decorators,
passed asking for the abatement OF
the tariff on unseed oil and flaxseed
ana also urging campaign Of edu-
cation through the department of az
rlcuIture as to the need Of extending
the cultivation Of flax throughout this
country. Since bushel of flaXseed
Yields only one and a quarter gallons
d cold pressed oil ana two and a half
gallons by heating or percolating
process, II wiz be readily seen THAI the
demand for uuseed oil for the paint
supply OF the country is not likely TO
De exceeded Tor years.
NO adequate or satisfactory substf-
tute for linseed oil in the manufacture
OF paints has been found, although
other materials are substituted by
INSCRIPTIONS dealers. Corn oil. fish oil
ChinaWood oil and pine oil are all ex-
IenSlVeIy used, but like all substi-
tutes, each lacks the peculiar quality Of
the real article. The fish OH made
from the Menhadden herring is now
being extensively advertised In the
paint trade magazines. It is very much
oetrer than IL formerly was because
OF new methods used In its manufac-
ture. Menhadden oil Is now made
from the fresh fish and therefore
does not have the rancid fishy OdOr
which made it Objectionable under the
old process, whereby the fish were
allowed to decOmpOse before the OIL
was taken. This is an animal oil how
ever and therefore differs in it's chem
lca4 composition from the linseed oil
In Use for Many Years.
Linseed oil has been in use for more
than zoo years in paint manufacture
II is the only oil which can be absO-
LutsIg depended upon TO dry hard
and solid without evaporation. 1t Is
TINS quality which permits the mix
ing OF OIL with Tarnish and the two
combined viii cement together. form
ing perfect imperviOus coating for
wood or iron Corn oil has many prop
critics resembling unseed oil and Is
DeueEed by some to be the best substf-
IuIe, but as yet is not being produced
n any large quantity. ChinawOod OF
4ung OIL Is now extensively used in
c0InDlnation with luseed oil and the
Oh Of the sOya bean, a product of
Sloerla, is also utilized in the paint
manufacture
Almost equally important to the
painter is the supply of turpentine
which Is also each year growing more
Inadequate. There Is no wav 10 re-
store the forests Of long leafed pine.
which were once so abundant in this I
country, and from which the supply of /
lutpenllne must come. 1t is stated that I
az the present rate or consumption. l
the supply of turpentine from these
trees VIII not continue more than Is I
years During the past year, the I
Price OF Iufpenuna advanced nearly I
% percent and the question Of q sub
sutute for IL viii be discussed at the (
present convention.
Skill In Mixing Paints
Aside from the tUrpentine and oil.
the color Ingredients Of the paints are |
an important consideration. A first I
class paint factory now employs the /
highest scientific skill in the selection I
Of its materials. The staff Of em- I.
plOyes viii include biologists. min I
ing engineers, metalIurgists chemical z
engineers and chemists. Electrical /
and mechanical engineers are employed I
In the mining, milling and trausDOr- I
taation Of the lead and zinc ores rom
the mines 20 the smelters, where ana I
lytcal chemists or assayers pass upan /
Its quality.
Most Of the colors used IN the ordi- /
nary paint are minerals and the United I
States Geological Survey divides them /
into three classes. First. the natural I
which after mechanical I
trea tment. including cleaning and dry
Ing, are ready for use second. pfs- /
ments made directly from the ores Of (
valuable minerals Third, chemically
treated pigments, consisting of pro /
ducts which pass through metaIlurgical /
or chemical processes In their prepare
ton for use.
The first class includes oohre. UNI
5er sienna and the three ores Of iron [
1emilate, siderite and limertte. These /
are the most important phases of :
metallic paints. Other minerals in /
9lude asbestos and its derfvfrfvas as