LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 



BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY, 

 Washington, D. <7., May 10, 1907. 



SIR: The demand for information as to the nature and uses of 

 the chemical compounds manufactured from wood and the processes 

 and equipment used in their production has become so general that 

 it is not possible to supply the desired data through the channels of 

 correspondence. To meet this need, the accompanying manuscript 

 has been prepared, and I recommend its publication as Circular 36 

 of the Bureau of Chemistry. The requests received are largely with 

 reference to the disposal of waste materials, and although the ques- 

 tions involved are rather technical no effort has been made to produce 

 an elaborate treatise on this subject, but rather to explain the proc- 

 esses as simply as the subject-matter will permit. 



The utilization of wood wastes in chemical manufactures is attract- 

 ing much attention at the present time, and the information here 

 given is especially of interest in view of the temporarily depressing 

 effect which the use of denatured alcohol will have on the demand 

 for wood alcohol. 



While investigations made in this Bureau furnish much of the 

 data given, acknowledgments are due to Hon. C. F. Wright, Mr. C. J. 

 Root, Mr. Joseph Bennor, and Mr. J. J. Mallonee for general infor- 

 mation, and to Messrs. Struthers-Wells & Co., Klar's Technologic der 

 Holzverkohlung and Sjostedt in the Iron Age for January 28, 1904, for 

 illustrations of apparatus. 

 Respectfully, 



H. W. WILEY. 



Chief Bureau of Chemistry. 

 Hon. JAMES WILSON, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



[Cir. 36J 



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