Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-09

(Continued From First Page)
making them Of great commercial I'M
portance.
"Thus far" DR.. Burgess said, I'VE
have only the crystals. We cannot pre-.
dict what the eventual product viii be.
1t may be something having properties
possessed by none of the metals, a new
material with properties all its own, and
nobody can say what this would mean"
The rubber allegedly produced from
crude petroleum, DR.. Burgess said, came
from California oil plant for inspec-
ton and the Government scientists are
not prepared to pass Judgment upon II.
Where these discoveries will lead"
DR.. Burgess told the delegates, mo one
can say, but history shows that with Q
glimmer Of hope to light his way the
physical scientist will not be turned
aside from his goal"
10 Per Cent Saving Seen.
Turning to leather, DR.. Burgess told
the delegates that investigations have
shown that sulphite cellulose extracts,
obtained from the waste of pulp mills,
could be blended with ordinary veges
table tanning materials and used to pro.
duce heavy feathers with satisfactory
physical and chemical properties.
"The commercial significance Of this
work IN the tanning industry" hebaid,
is indicated by an estimated savinGvi
tanning costs Of from 10 to 20 per cent.
Its use win conserve material now
largely wasted and help solve stream
pollution problems caused by the dNftfp.
ing OF waste liquors into the riyerssQ
IL was demonstrated In another In.
vestigation at the bureau that clfrbfiie-
tanned sole leather wears approximate.
~ twice as long as vegetable tanned
sole leather, put has certain disadvan-
tageS as to firmness and water resist.
ance. An investigation is now finder
way to overcome these disadvantages by
retaining chrome with vegetable ex.
tracts and by the use Of wakes and
mineral filters" tffTF
DR.. Burgess also announced the open-
ing Of new possibilities for cotton SroW-
ers by recent work of the Bureau Of
Standards in obtaining from cottonseed
hull bran the sugar xylose which, with
other sugars, constitutes about 40 per
cent Of material.
although this sugar has been sold
Tor 500 pound" he said, Laboratory
and Semi-commercial work by the bu-
reau has shown that it can be made,
on practical scale for less than IS
cents q pound. Work Is under way to
convert the xylose into sugar and acids,
like citric, tartaric. Tactic and acetic
acids, alcohol, acetone, furfurol and
other products by chemical and fer
mentation methods. Its possible use
in human and animal foods Is being
investigated in cooperation with medi-
cal and animal experimenters."
New Material Announced.
He also announced the production
from the outer shell Of corn stalks Of o
new material Of q tough, horny product
called matsolith, suitable for making
gears, bushings electrical fixtures, and
other products requiring toughness,
strength and electrical insulating prop
critics. The pith of the cornstalk is not
wasted, he said, but can be made into
insulating materials resembling cork
Need of systematic surveys of inter-
American agriculture were stressed by
MAJ. Robert Y. Stuart, chief Of the
United States Forest Service; DR.. Cur.
It's F. Marbut, chief of the Bureau Of
Chemistry; S. H. McCrory, Samuel
Fortier and w. w. Mclaughlin Of the
Bureau Of Public Roads: DR.. Roral j.
Haskell and John A. Stevenson Of the
l.. @. Gray Of the Bureau Of AgricuI-
tural Economics.
DR.. Haskell told the delegates that
conservative estimates place the loss Of
the United States alone from plant
diseases &C approximately $500, O0O. OOC
annually, WITT prOpOrJlOnate losses In
other countries.
The time has come for internat,or.,
planning, with reference to aQrionltnra
said DIR. Gray, to insure providine ths
peoples of all nations WITH s1as,, 80
FOOD and raw materials ana ~ ~
same time avoiding excess nrcti,,s,, ssle
Secretary Of Agriculture HYDE esve /.
iuncneon IN honor Of the deieuafes e
- g ;,,sr,aa aatsI which they were taken
Ts,, inspect the Arlington Experimental sI