STUFFING-MATERIAL. 827 



somewhat open spruce forest, also in coppice and coppice-with- 

 standards of ash, alder, aspen, etc., where it grows in tufts 

 between the overbading coppice-shoots and thrives in places 

 sheltered from late frosts. The longer and softer the leaves, the 

 more valuable the product. The sedge is full-grown by the 

 end of June, and may be plucked from then till October ; it is 

 dried partially by spreading it on sunny roads, and then brought 

 in and twisted by means of simple machines into plaits. It is 

 collected extensively in the Baden Ehine valley, where 5 cwt. of 

 the grass per acre form a fair crop. The yield may, however, 

 under favourable conditions, amount to 9 or 10 cwt. per acre ; 

 150 pounds of dry sedge yield 125 pounds of plaits, worth 

 4s. to 6s. per cwt. 



In the Grand Duchy of Baden at least 2,000 tons of sedge 

 (worth over .12,500) are collected annually. In 1872, the town 

 of Friburg obtained 4*1,287 for sedge removed from its forest; 

 and other towns, 1:712 and 1*840. In 1873, several communes 

 in Baden obtained 80s. to 60s. per acre for the sedge. More 

 recently the demand has somewhat lessened, owing to the sub- 

 stitution of Crin (V Aj'r'mm' (filaments from a palm, Ch(tnnrr<>}i 

 luiniilix) as stuffing for furniture, also of cotton from species of 

 Bombax (India). 



A grass (Aiirostis c(/'Hpifoa(i) growing in damp forests and 

 usually mature in September, is also used as stuffing material. 



A loose, spongy tissue is used under the name of wood-wool, 

 that is said to be prepared from pine needles and served as a 

 substitute for cotton and sea-grass. The material sent to Mayr 

 (prepared by boiling in water and weak alkaline solutions) is 

 not made of pine needles, but of sea-grass ; for the mace- 

 rated woody bundles are 10 to 25 c.m. long and woven with 

 very fine cotton-fibres into a soft greenish, or grey loose tissue ; 

 the shorter pieces may be fibres from pine-needles. 



[The chair-factories at High Wycombe besides horsehair use 

 Alva, as stuffing material ; * this product is the dried leaves of 



* [Communicated by Mr. Glenister, High Wycombe, the plant being identified 

 l.y Marshall- Ward. 



Mr. Isaacs of Mark Lane, states that alva is imported by the ton, in pressed 

 bales, from Holland. France, and Germany, at prices varying from 3 15*. to 

 C'.i per ton of 20 bales. It is mowed in the sea, as if dragged out, it is not cu"ly 

 and springy or suitable for stuffing chairs, &c. Also used by florists. Tr.] 



