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Show TURN OUT MILLIONS OF PIPES- Manufacturers In the United State. Supply Very Large Part of the World's Demand. Over 20,000,000 pipes are manufac-; tured annually in, the United States.' The wooden pipe is probably more, distinctly national than any which, finds Its way into the market.. Ranging Rang-ing in between the aristocratic meerschaum meer-schaum and the plebeian clay, it Is-rarely Is-rarely expensive, while at the same-time same-time Its manufacture calls into existence exist-ence a considerable industry. The-roots The-roots of the mountain laurel and rhododendron rho-dodendron are most generally used for pipe making, they being1 selected for the purpose on account of their du-i rability, hardness and the light polish; which they are capable of taking. They; are found throughout the southern, states generally the best material is. said to come from North Carolina and' is sent to the market in large pieces,, which vary in size from that of a. man's fist to the dimensions o a good-! sized keg. The material costs fronn $40 to ?60 per ton, the price depending depend-ing upon the quality of tha wood. In addition ad-dition to the domestic material used in pipe making, immense quantities of brier root blocks are shipped into this country annually from southern. France and Italy. Scientific American. |