25 FEBRUARY 1928, Page 13

Country Life

A VILLAGE CRAFT.

An expert engineer has been at work for some while, at the instance of the Rural Industries Bureau, in investigating uses for straw. Now a great deal of interest was aroused—in Canada as in Britain—when a method was discovered during the War—largely through the energy of the present LOrd IVeagh—of converting straw by chemical agency into a farm manure. And the discovery is likely to be of -permanent service. But straw is still burnt as useless in .the great wheat areas overseas, and it is regarded as very nearly valueless in Many country placesin England. Other uses for it are needed. We knOW from the flourishing rural industry of so-called " strawboard " in Holland how valuable the product may be, if scientifically treated. But it is convertible into paper as Well as straWboard, and the investigator referred to above has, I understand, found good reasons for recommending the establishment of a rural pulp-Making industry, in spite of Many inherent difficulties.