The Ordway new era., 1914-07-31

CIeo8lnH 70 an alarming eXlent In All
regions where puipproducfng trees
grow. The latest Of these discoveries
has been made In Uganda. Africa, and
the Imperial institute Of London de-
scribes In report on tho subject q
series Of experiments made With this
new material which Il known - eae-
plant grass
The marahlands Of tropical Africa
are thickIy covered with this grass.
which grows to . height Of from SIX
20 ten feet and has proved source OF
trouble and expense to agriculturists.
~ II grows rapidly after the shoots
above ground have been burned or cut
down A sample Of dried mature ele-
plant grass was sent recently from
Uganda to the Imperial institute With
the object Of ascertaining its suitabilL
~ for the manufacture Of paper.
Tho consignment. which weighed III
pounds when received and 14s aftsf
being afr dried. IL said to have yielded
after treatment in the laboratories q
pulp Of good color composed Of Ill
innate f1bers rather longer than those
Of espzrto grass and about the same
length as those Of bamboo pulp. II fur
nished fairly good paper which tie
British experts expect 70 b abe to
improve 20 a. to make d dts material
. suitable and profitable substitute for
wood pulp.
Bat papermaker have learned. ever
since wood pulp was first used in their
plants. TO Be rather skeptical regard
ing reported discoveries of substitute
nav materials The use Of wood pulp
for The manufacture Of paper II Of
comparative recent origin. as its com
mssctal application a. = raw material
for this purpose dates from about 1853.
But long before the nrst CRY Of con-
servation was heard and the first pro
tests made against tbs devastation Of
FORESTS men had been engaged In the
search for . new raw material. An
important American corporation has
for years employed experts in an eff
fort to discover . suitable method for
making paper pulp Of banana stalks.
Colorado came to the front some
pinon wood. which grows in abund.
ance In that state. could be made to
supply wood pulp. and John F1tzger.
aid. supervisor Of the National pike
forest. was quoted a. stating that the
government was planning to erect
mills for the manufacture OF paper
with this new material. What became
Of pinon wood pulp!
New Mexico soon followed with the
report that bear grass. which grows
1uxuriantly on the southwest prairies
and with less rain than any othsl
plant, had been found to be suitable
for the manufacture Of paper. but that
was the last heard about 1t and an
other revolution In the industry
failed
Tho scarcity Of pulp wood appears
however. TO have been greatly exag
gsrsted. The problem may be solved
according to good authorities. without
the discovery Of substitute material By
the preservation Of forests in wood
producing states. This important ques
tion has aroused considerable interest
in the United States during recen,
years and decisive steps have been t.
ken by the government for the refor
estation Of devastated areas and the
protection Of standing forests.
It has been shown that to supply q
mill having an output Of 300 tons Oh
newspaper . week $500 acres planted
with spruce and hard woods would b.
sufacisut to give the wood pulp nee
essary for one year. II the total for
est areas was 100, 900 acres the timbe,