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PLANTS AND MAN 



industry basswood was the leading species used. Then spruce 

 became the leader because of its even, long, strong fibers, freedom 

 from excessive pitch and colored substances, and great availabil- 

 ity. It has held the lead for many years, but at the present its 

 position is being challenged by the southern pines. These species 

 (longleaf, shortleaf, slash, and loblolly) have for some time been 

 of importance in the manufacture of Kraft papers, widely used as 

 bags and wrapping papers. Due to their excessive amount of 

 pitch and their yellow color, they were not adapted to the produc- 

 tion of newsprint or other light colored papers. Continued re- 

 search has resulted in the perfection of methods whereby the 



Fig. 226. — Distribution of paper and pulp mills in the United States. 



southern pines can be successfuly manufactured into newsprint. 

 This growing pulp industry in the south may greatly change the 

 economic conditions of the region, in addition to offering a cheap 

 domestic source of pulp which has been imported in increasing 

 quantities during recent years. In addition to spruce and southern 

 yellow pine, other species used include hemlock, poplar, balsam 

 fir, jack pine, white fir, beech, birch, maple, larch, gum, and 

 several others of minor importance at present. 



The industry has long been centralized in the northeast (fig. 

 226) but, as stated above, there is a decided development in the 

 south, and also in the Pacific northwest, where large amounts of 

 sawmill waste are being utilized by a fast growing pulp industry. 



