COTTON FROM WOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 117, 17 May 1920, Page 5

COTTON FROM WOOL.

LATEST GEKMAX INVENTION". ' man who turr-a New Zealand wool into cotton is .-ceral sorts of a fool." This was one of the obiter dicta of a scientist who was appealed to by a "Star" reporter as to what lie thought of the cabled announcement that a (ierman had discovered a method 'ay which he could make a substitute for cotton out of wool and cellulose. The cablegram added that the money to Tx- made jut of the new idea "might pay the < ierman indemnity and re-establish her credit." Xone of the people seen concerning the Alleged substitute seemed much impressed with it, hut at the same time they said it would be unwise to criticise an allege,! discovery upon ellch meagre information 83 that in the cable.

Cellulose is the essential part or woort. linen and paper, and unsized, wellbleached linen paper is nearly pure cellulose. As most people are aware, cellulose is now made into artificial silk, which, though it' has not the wearing properties of the product of the silkworm, it has become an important article of commerce. In making this silk the cellulose in a liquid state is squirted through very thin nozzles into a solution which hardens it into a thread so near to silk in appearance that many people could not tell the difference. " One of the "Stars" informants said it was quite possible that some such use of cellulose j with enough wool used in weaving to . give it substance would result in a textile that might take the place of cotton. Without further information, however, it ;is difficult to think that wool wbuld be J used for making cotton. New Zealand •wool is such a valuable and useful article that the idea of using it in. a substitute for what is usually a much cheaper article is not made clear in the cablegram, which suggests such an easy way for Germany to rehabilitate herself in commercial circles.