Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-14

is now scarce and 4 positive shortage
OF the fiber probably will exist within
two years. This prediction has created
alarm in the American textile trade.
and caused scientists in all parts OF
the world to renew their Investigations
Of the vegetable and mineral Kingdoms
for substitute.
Every time man in the trenches
discards his wooden uniform. IL is
burned and a new one supplied him.
This is a tremendous tax on the pro-
duction OF wool--a fabric that was
none too plentiful when the war
started
Fabrics OF all kinds have been more
or less affected by the war The large
FAX fields OF Belgium were wiped out
just as the demand for linen in hos
ptal supplies became enormous. Only
cotton has survived the war strain with
anything like an increase, and in this
country even it's production has been
curtailed by the Introduction OF diver
sifted crops In the South.
Goats hair and camcrs hair already
have helped us through couple Of
winters and provide possible answer
to the problem Camcls aud goats arc
not so numerous as sheep. however. so
that the real answer must come from
the vegetable kingdom. NettlcS. pine
ncadlcs, seawced and the leaves and
stalks Of various plants are being ex-
perimentcd with by European scicn-
fists in the hope OF discovering new
fabric that will have the warmth. the
impenctrability to damp1css and the
close. soft weave Of wool
At present there arc seven textile
hbrcs on the American retail market.
including cotton, wool. linen, silk.
ramic, jutc and artificial silk Cotton.
the cheapest Of these. has short ihcrs
with n peculiar spiral twist which are
"A
fuzzy thread, preventing luster in the
cloth. This DISADVANTAGE is in part
overcome by the merceriznG process
introduced about decade ago. which
imparts to cotton cloth luster seen
in some inferior grades of silk.
Most valuable .f Fabrics.
SILK il; the most valuable OF fabrics,
owing TO the length OF it's fiber often
over 100 yards. While the mulberry
tree upon which the silk worm lives.
may he grown successfully In the
United States. the amount Of hand
labor required in raising and handling
the cocoon prccludes the proha hility Of
our ever developing raw-product in
duStry here. In removing tho long
SILK hhcr from the cocoon much short
fiber is also detached. which is mad c
up into a fabric known AS spun silk,
having "A somewhat fuzzy thread and
without tho usual silky lustcr. II is
for the most part used in backs Of
satins. satiny Sikh and velvcts. being
as servicca Bile as the long fiber. but
not so beautiful.
PonEce. imported in large quantities
from China by American textile manu-
facturcrs. is wild silk, obtained from
uncultivatcd worms that feed on oaks
and other common trees, This silk is
darker IN color and OF rummy sub
stance noticeable In the cloth. The
original ponEee is always distinguish
able by It's unique odor, inherited from
the Chinese quarter in which it is pre-
pared
American chemists have anticipate ed
| silk shortage by invcntinE syn
thctic substitute. now flln;. a popular
demand in the .extile market. II is
collodion-lilie substance obtained
| from cotton or wood fiber. and chem
ically treated so as to appear lustrous
and at tho same lime withstand all
| the practical tests OF real silk. For
tunately, the chemical process does not
| require great quantities Of hand labor
| which prohibits the introduction and
| growth Of raw fabrics in the United
| States.
f. Ramic Difficult TO Prepare.
| For example, ii is possible to grow
ramie grass in this country. The gov.
| eminent has experimental with the
| plant in various sections and found il
| successful. and one man In Laurel Md.
has several acres Of ramie flourishinl
| vigorously. But YOU could no, Cet
| lars what the average Chinaman doe:
for a few cents a day in preparing the
ramie by hand. First he cuts tho stalk
separately. strips off the leaves an1
then begins the laborious task Of peel
ing the bark, usually with the Chimes,
thumb nail. After this he covers hi.
thumb with bamboo thimblc ant
Scrapcs tediously away the gum ant
coloring matter. producing long
brown fiber known as Chinese grass
This is exported in large Quantities I,
other countries. including the unitet
States. whore il is blcachcd and mad,
up into ramic linen or ramic cloth Eu
ropean textile manufacturers hav,
made numerous attempts to set up ma
| chinery In the Orient for decoratiu,
the stalks. all OF which have been un
successful. In this country. also. IL /
estimated that there are at least 10
patents on file in the Patent Onic
for preparing ramie by machinery bu
they arc all commercially impracti
cable.
Ramie cloth. while an ancient teXtil
in the Orient. is almost a new fabri
on the American market. where IL /
proving popular. Unfortunately: how
ever, its reputation for durability
apt to be injured by reason Of tn
fact that some OF the goods sold A
ramie is actually made from the rami
noils, short by-product fiber, Of tn
same relation TO real ramie that spu
silk is to silk. While made from tn
same plant issue. the ramic noils d
| not wear so we'll
Jute. which has largely taken In
place OF hemp in the manufacture q
burlap, coarse materials, twincs, ropc.
etc. is an Indian raw product white
has become scarce during tho wa
The present market prices for jut