EUROPE : ITALY. 



Imports and exports of mechanical -<><>(></ pulp, 1878-1898. 



Imports and exports of chemical wood pulp (cellulose), 1886-1898. 



Notwithstanding the great increase in the use and importation of 

 the wood pulps, straw and rags are still the chief factors used by the 

 Italian mills in the manufacture of paper. For some reason, there 

 has been a great decrease in the exportation of vegetable rags from 

 Italy. This may be due to several causes one, the export duty 

 mentioned elsewhere in this report, and, another, the increase of the 

 paper industry in the country. However, the increase of inhabitants 

 should keep up the balance, supply home demands, and leave some 

 for exportation. There are nearly 32,000,000 inhabitants in Italy, 

 and it is calculated that each person adds yearly to the rag product 

 some 2 kilograms (4.4092 pounds). That means that 64,000 tons of 

 rags are produced in this country each year. In 1896, 50,000 tons 

 of vegetable rags were used in the paper mills of the country, 10 

 tons were exported, and 289 tons imported (the latter, of course, 

 included in the 50,000 tons used). Estimating the home produc- 

 tion to be, as above stated, 64,000 tons, that leaves 14,279 tons 

 unaccounted for. 



