Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1917 — Use for Raffia Palm. [ARTICLE]

Use for Raffia Palm.

Word comes from Madagascar that it has been discovered there that the Raffia palm offers an excellent substitute for the carnauba wax, which largely enters into the manufacture of shoe polish and wood-finishing pastes, and if this proves true it will greatly_ relieve an Industrial situation which has become very acute recently owing to the greatly increased demand for wax. The demand has largely been supplied by Japan and China heretofore. Raffia has largely been made use of as a source of twine for agricultural purposes, and also for kindergarten and decorative purposes,' and the wax is made.from the residue of the leaves after the fibrous strands have been'stripped off. The wax substitute Ims about the safne melting point as the genuine wax and resembles It in many other particulars. It Is particularly suited for use in the manufacture of shoes and wood polishes. ■ .