474 



USES OF WOOD PULP. 



German mills to compete with those of Norway and Sweden, on 

 account of heavy land freights. 



The largest factories of mechanical wood pulp in Saxony are 

 those of Zacharias, in Pirna-am-Elbe, and Unger, in Dohna near 

 Dresden. 



The imperial duty on mechanical wood pulp is i mark (23.8 

 cents) per 100 kilograms (220.46 pounds). 



CHEMICAL WOOD PULP. 



The process of manufacturing chemical wood pulp was first in- 

 vented about 1869; but the method was very expensive, and the pro- 

 duction remained on a small scale. 



In 1875, however, Prof. Dr. A. Mitscherlich discovered a much 

 cheaper method, which differed mainly from the above in the use of 

 sulphate of lime, instead of expensive soda, for dissolving the wood. 



The first large factories of chemical wood pulp (in German, 

 "Sulfitcellulose") were started in 1879. The price paid at that time 

 by the paper factories for this material was from 44 to 50 marks 

 ($10.47 to $11.90) per 100 kilograms (220.46 pounds), while the cost 

 of production amounted to about 27 marks ($6.43). This handsome 

 profit, of course, caused a rapid increase in the number of factories. 

 The result was disastrous to the trade. The considerable overpro- 

 duction ran the price down to 30 marks ($7.14) per 100 kilograms 

 for the best quality in 1886; in 1887-88, the price sank to 27 marks 

 ($6.43); and in 1889-90, to 26 marks ($6.19) per 100 kilograms. In 

 addition to this, the strong Swedish, Norwegian, Austrian, and, 

 finally, the American competition contributed materially to the gen- 

 eral depression in price. 



This state of affairs rendered the formation of a syndicate indis- 

 pensable. This was accomplished in 1891. The working of the 

 syndicate has been most satisfactory to the members up to the pres- 

 ent date. 



The following table shows the history of the development of this 

 industry: 



* 2,204 pounds. 



