CHAPTER II 

 WOOD PULP AND PAPER 



GENERAL 



Paper is a material composed of vegetable fibers formed artificially 

 into thin sheets. The word paper comes from the Latin word papyrus, 

 a name given to the Egyptian sedge and bulrushes of the Nile Valley. 

 The plant is said to have been used by the Egyptians as early as 2400 

 B.C. to make sheets for writing purposes as well as for wrapping and 

 other mechanical uses. 



Within the past ten to twenty-five years the manufacture of wood pulp 

 has made tremendous strides. It is now one of the principal products 

 derived from the forests aside from lumber. At the present time it is 

 estimated that there are about 6,000,000 cords of wood needed to supply 

 the annual demands of the paper trade in this country. Assuming 500 

 bd. ft. to the cord, this amount is equivalent to about 3,000,000,000 

 bd. ft. In 1900 only about 2,000,000 cords were consumed for wood 

 pulp and in 191 1 about 4,500,000 cords. Zon estimates that in 1930 

 about 10,500,000 cords will be required and as high as 16,000,000 cords 

 of wood will be demanded in 1950. The increase in the consumption of 

 wood from 1900 to 1919 has been over 300 per cent. 



About 80 per cent to 85 per cent of all paper used in this country is 

 now derived from wood, whereas before the middle of the 19th century, 

 paper was entirely manufactured from other vegetable fibers. 



The industry is still in the evolutionary stage of development, both 

 in the matter of kind and quantity of raw materials and in the processes 

 of the manufacture of pulp and paper. At first, basswood was used in 

 the earlier years of the industry in this country and then spruce became 

 our leading pulp wood. Spruce still holds the pre-eminent position. 

 The demands for pulp wood are increasing so rapidly that other processes 

 are being constantly developed to utilize woods that are cheaper and 

 more abundant than spruce. 



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