Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-08

Far-reaching possibilities are seen by
the newspapers in the use of paper
made of cornstalks in the publication
of daily papers and a farm journal in
the Middle West. The experiment is
regarded as tremendously important for
the corn farmer and also to the forest
conservation movement.
A belief that this new industry
promises not only to add vast amount
of new wealth to the country and pro-
vide new employment for much labor,
but also to help in a large measure to
solve one of the outstanding problems
of agriculture-that of utilizing farm
waste and the largest single item of
waste where corn is the principal CROP"
is held by the Fort Wayne News
Sentinel, which adds that lit offers the
larger promise of giving our American
forests a chance to catch up with the
demand that is being laid on them. "
The News-Sentinel also observes that
the Government Printing Office has
shown practical interest in the new type
of paper, and sees hope that "the work
of the conservationistS may be made
much easier in the immediate future"
Commenting on the exhibition of a
book on farm products made from this
same kind of paper, the Nashville
Banner says: "As was pointed out at the
time this cornStalk-paper book was pre-
Sented, the outstanding need of the
agricultural interests in this country is
to find some method of using for profit
the tremendous quantities of material
that Is and has been going to waste on
our farms incidental to the growing OF
many of our chief crops. Science
is at work figuring out means whereby
these so-called waste products of agri-
culture may be made valuable, and II
has already accomplished a great deal
That way lie many possibilities of farm
relief, incidentally"
X x X
1.-THE first paper" recalls the Terre
Haute Star, was made from a tall
weed not unlike a cornstalk and known
as papyrus-hence the name. Perhaps
we are merely closing one of those
circles which are among the interesting
phenomena Of history, in now discov-
ering a modern papyrus in corn.
While conceding that sit is, of course
too soon to say what cornstalks might
be expected to yield to the grower,
the Star continues: Scientists have
been at work for years, experimenting
with processes for utilizing cornStalks
| They have progressed to the point
where that article of waste on the farm
seems about to become a very valuable
by-product of crop raising. Not only
can paper be made from the corn
stalks, but other industries using cell
lulose are expected to become intensive
purchasers of a product that has been
nuisance to the tiller of the soil in
the corn belt"
Another phase Of the matter as re-
Ia u k1 11~ IzA1k - -. L.
the Davenport Democrat, which quotes
| ject and makes the statement: I'm
this report it Is recognized that a
profitable method for the disposal Of
cornstalks that would insure their COM
plete disintegration obviously would be
| one of the most effective weapons ir
| fighting the corn borer. Industrial util-
| iZation of cornstalks for the manufac-
ture of paper and wallboard Is the most
promising outlet thus far suggested
Because of conditions brought about BY
the corn borer, this outlet for this most
troublesome and cumbersome of farm
wastes is we'll worth continued inves-
| tigation." The Democrat recognizes
that 1.-The difficulty heretofore has beer
to make money in this way" but con.
! cludes that sit is obvious that with the
decreasing supply of anyraw material ant
its increasing cost, other raw material.
will receive more consideration, anc
that, as the wood supply decreases anc
its cost increases, there will come &
time when another raw material fol-
paper-making will be practicable"
One OF the newspapers involved in tn,
experimental publication, the Danvill,
Commercial News, expresses the belle
that the new method will be of specia
concern to "the farmers of the grea
corn belt of the Central West, who's,
l annual crop of cornstalks, running int
millions OF tons, has heretofore rotteG
in the fields"
| u X X
IF ever the time should come agar
when corn Is SO cheap that the farmer
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