496 USES OF WOOD PULP. 



They employ a working force of 250, and the annual output is about 

 4,000 tons of wood pulp. There is an abundance of spruce in the 

 neighborhood, as Ranheim is situated in a very thickly wooded part 

 of the country. 



About 2,200 tons of this wood pulp is exported, 1,527^ tons, 

 valued at $5 1,990, having been sent to the United States during 1898, 

 and the balance to Holland, Germany, and Denmark. 



VICTOR E. NELSON, 



BERGEN, January 26, 1899. Consul. 



SWITZERLAND. 

 BASEL. 



Wood pulp is used in Switzerland exclusively in the manufacture 

 of the cheaper kinds of paper and pasteboard. Accordingly, this 

 industry has no relation to the most important question asked by 

 the circular of the Department of State. But, as a matter of second- 

 ary interest, the following information in regard to the wood-pulp 

 factories of the country and their methods is communicated. 



The wood most generally used is the aspen. Spruce and fir are 

 also employed, the former after having been steamed. 



The product is generally of excellent quality fine, clear, and 

 white a result which is ascribed to the abundance of pure spring 

 water and to the fine sandstone with which the grinding is effected. 



Two systems of grinding are in use, viz, the Voelter system, 

 with vertical stones and generally five mechanical presses for holding 

 the wood against the grinding apparatus, and the Siebrecht system, 

 with horizontal stones and eight hydraulic presses. The so-called 

 "Huess process" of grinding with a small quantity of water as 

 employed, for instance, in Canada has not been introduced into 

 Switzerland. 



The following is a list of all the wood-pulp and cellulose estab- 

 lishments in Switzerland: 



Albert Ziegler &Co., Canton of Berne; manufacture pulp for use 

 in their own paper factory. 



Mill at Baetterkinden ; belongs to the paper mill at Utzensdorf. 



J. J. Nieder&Co., Brlihl Bischoffszell ; manufacture wood board 

 or carton. 



Gebriider Vogel, Cham, Canton of Zug; white and brown pulp, 

 solely for use in their own paper mill. 



J. J. Hornberger, Diibendorf, Mill Lanquart, Canton Graubiind- 

 ten; pulp for use of paper mill at same place. 



