40 R. GREIG-SMITH. 



acid from our five million gallons of wine, but most of it is 

 lost in cleaning the barrels and vats. It is a pity the argol 

 deposit and lees cannot be saved, as the production and 

 refining of the acid is a comparatively simple process. 



Another anomaly is the manufacture of gelatine and of 

 glue. Gelatine is not made here, but there appears to be 

 no reason why it should not be done. We have all the raw 

 material. Some glue is made, but I understand the bulk 

 is shipped to Europe to be refined. 



We import oxalic acid although we could easily obtain it 

 from the bark of some of our Eucalypts which contain 16% 

 of calcium oxalate. The bark has simply to be extracted 

 with dilute hydrochloric acid and the oxalic acid crystallised 

 out from the liquid. 



Science the Helpmate of Industry, 



We should bear in mind that the scientist can only sug- 

 gest methods for the utilisation of trade waste. The 

 probability of the suggestion being economically successful 

 must always rest with the manufacturer, who has to con- 

 sider the cost of the plant, the expense of labour, and the 

 value of the won product. There may be so fine a balance 

 between the cost of the utilisation and the value of the 

 product, that there is not a sufficient margin to enable a 

 fair profit to be made. The cost of plant made locally may 

 be prohibitive, while an imported plant may enable the 

 process to be started without a handicap. The process 

 may not pay at first, until enough experience is gained to, 

 as it were, short circuit some of the original methods. Again, 

 a rise in the market price of a substance may enable the 

 secondary industry to be established. There are so many 

 things to be considered by the manufacturer, that there is 

 little wonder that he is generally content to throw away 

 possibilities, and devote his energies to his primary products. 



