The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-09-12


pulp, the supply of
which Is said to be de-
creasing to an alarming extent in all
regions where pulp-producing trees
grow. The latest of these discoveries
has been made in Uganda. Africa, and
the Imperial institute Of London de-
scribes in a report on the subject
series of experiments made with this
new material, which is known as ele-
plant grass.
The marshlands Of tropical Africa
are thickly covered with this grass.
which grows to a height of from six
to ten feet and has proved a source OF
trouble and expense to agriculturlsts,
as it grows rapidly after the shoots
above ground have been burned or cut
down. A sample of dried mature ele-
phant grass was sent recently from
Uganda to the Imperial institute with
the object of ascertaining its suitable
ty for the manufacture of paper.
The consignment, which weighed TIT
pounds when received and 145 after
being air dried, is said to have yielded
after treatment In the laboratories a
pulp of good color composed OF ul-
innate fibers rather longer than those
OF esparto grass and about the same
length as those of bamboo pulp. 1t fur
nished a fairly good paper which the
British experts expect to be able to
improve so as to make Of this material
a suitable and profitable substitute for
wood pulp.
But papermakers have learned. ever
since wood pulp was first used in their
plants, to be rather skeptical regard
ing reported discoveries of substitute
raw materials. The use of wood pulp
for the manufacture Of paper is Of
comparative recent origin, as its COM
mercial application as raw material
for this purpose dates from about 1869.
But long before the first cry of con-
servation was heard and the first pro-
tests made against the 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 ef-
fort to discover a suitable method for
making paper pulp Of banana stalks.
Colorado came to the front some
time ago with the announcement that
pinon wood, which grows in abund-
ance in that state, could be made to
supply wood pulp. and John Ftzger-
aid. supervisor Of the National pike
forest, was quoted as 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
luxuriantly on the southwest prairies,
and with less rain than any other
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
The scarcity Of pulp wood appears.
however, to have been greatly exag-
gerated. 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-
ton has aroused considerable interest
In the United States during recent
years and decisive steps have been ia
ken by the government for the refor-
estation Of devastated areas and the
protection Of standing forests.
1t has been shown that to supply
mill having an output of 800 tons OF
newspaper q week $500 acres planted
with spruce and hard woods would be
sufnCient to give the wood pulp nee
esGnry Tor one year.. II the total for
~ arsas was 100000 acres the timber