Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-12

ARBD% VITAL TIL SO
One thing which had been learned was
that 4 surface Of hard firm carbon was
necessary as a neutralzlng agent Ordi-
nsry charcoal would not do. for Il has
tendency 10 Jamb' or pack, and allow
gns 10 escape It was found that from the
shells of the coooanut and the rohune,
that carbon sufficiently hard for the p,r-
pose could be obtained Thousands of the
shells of these nuts were imported st
very great expense from tropical America
and elsewhere
As the American war program expand
I'd and successive drafts called men 70 the
colors by the hundreds Of thousands, the
need for gas masks expanded with u
Il soon became evident that the supply of
cocnanut and cohune nut shells could not
meet the demand That Is one of the
problems which confront the Chemical
Warfare Service today There Is an army
Of four million men IN prospect q pro-
vide each of these men with gas mask
will require ~ 0O0, 900 pounds ~ nut
shells
L was the experts u the Department
OF Agriculture continuing their eX-
perlments Independently, who discovered
that carbon oi sufficient hardness Tor gas
mask purposes might De derived from
other things They found that the hony
shells ot black wainuts, hickones. English
walnutS. butteruuts and sheilbarks would
answer Just as veil Is cocOanuts or CO.
huncs They found too hat the seeds
81 ,ach fruits aS phms cherries, Ullve,
persImmons, apricots. peaches and prunes
could be made to weld . satisfactory car
hon This discovery was made n the
height Of the California canning season,
aud thousands of carloads OF peach ana
apricot seeds which. in the ordinary course
of events would have known no better
DESTINY than use as fuel OF reduction
into perfume and toilet soap. were ship
ped east and put to the noblest III llses
that Of preserving human life.
NUTS co 70 WASTE
According to c. 4 Reed. nut culturlst
of the Department of Agriculture, viz
tuAlly the entire crop OF black Walnuts,
hickorlcs and shellbarks in the eastern
States goes annually TO waste. 1t Is I'M
peratIve." SAYS MIR Reed, in tins con
ncction, that this year they he harvested.
Stale nuts woTmy nuts, and half formed
nuts answer Just rs we'll as fresh, perfect
ones And it should be remembered
that seven pounds Of the shells Of these
nuts vii make enough carbon for one
gas mask
little more than Il fortnight ago. 3
nationwide campaign TO obtain carbon
materials was instituted under the JOINT
auspices oi the Food administration, the
National War Savings Committee he
Department Of agriculture and the Rcd
Cross Posters calling on citizens to save
fruit stones and nutshell> have been dis
tributcd everywhere The Boy Scouts and
other juvenile organizations have been en-
listed 10 make cunvasseS OF hotels. res
taurants and homes The department
has sent word t. IL county agents to
carry on the campaign among the farmers
Nut-gat herring clubs are being formed
everywhere In some cities. repositories
al stones and shells have been placed il
conspicuous places
Already the campaign has been pro
ductIye There Is little likelihood that
any but very small part Of this wears
nut crop will he wasted Just how many
gas masks will be insured for American
soldiers rs result Of the campaign
cannot hc focretold But ii is safe to SOY
that several dIvi~ion- will hc provided
with properly cari onizcd protection