EXCELSIOR 425 



about 14 per cent of the total supply, being exceeded by the various pines 

 and cottonwood. 



Uses and Value of Excelsior. 



Excelsior is a staple article used by upholster}-, carriage, automobile, 

 mattress and furniture manufacturers and for packing miscellaneous 

 articles which are susceptible to breakage. It is commonly used for 

 packing glassware, china, druggist's and confectioner's goods, toys, hard- 

 ware and other miscellaneous articles. 



It is much preferred to other materials used for similar purposes such 

 as shavings, sawdust, straw or hay, because it is free from dust and dirt, 

 it is elastic, light in weight and odorless. Packing purposes consume 

 the bulk of excelsior manufactured. In making excelsior mat- 

 tresses the inner portion is usually filled with excelsior cut from ^ to j in. 

 wide. Over this is spread a finer grade or wood wool to give a softer 

 surface near the ticking. 



The fine grade called wood wool, which is from TSO to ^w of an in. in 

 thickness and about ^r of an in. wide, is used for filtering purposes and 

 for the manufacture of better grades of mattresses and other specialized 

 products. Probably from 80 to 90 per cent, however, is made from the 

 medium and coarse grades, which go chiefly for upholstering and for 

 packing. These grades are from TO to T^O of an inch in thickness and 

 from yj to ^ of an inch in width. One large department store in New 

 York uses over $500 worth of excelsior per month, for which is paid 

 around $16 per ton. A large toy company uses every day from 30 to 

 40 bales weighing 125 Ib. per bale. 



Dyed excelsior is used for packing fancy goods. Aniline dyes have 

 been found to stain excelsior to excellent advantage. More recently 

 the finer grades of excelsior have been woven into mats and floor cover- 

 ings. In Europe it is very largely used for absorbent lint in hospitals 

 and for filtration purposes. Its lightness and elasticity make it espe- 

 cially valuable for packing. .Its resiliency makes it valuable for uphol- 

 stering and mattresses, while its softness and ability to absorb liquid 

 make it valuable as an absorbent lint. Long excelsior is used for twisting 

 into rope for use in winding core barrels in making cast-iron pipes hi 

 large pipe foundries. This takes the place of marsh hay and is con- 

 sidered much superior. 



Excelsior is sold by the weight. The market for the various grades is 

 exceedingly unstable and prices fluctuate very widely and rapidly. The 

 major portion of excelsior placed on the market, which is used for mattress 



