FULLERS' EARTH, a substance of in definite composition, consisting essentially of clay, mixed with sufficient finely divided siliceous matter to destroy its plasticity. Ful ler's earth has a specific gravity varying from 1.8 to 2.5, and also varies in color. It is of very fine grain and received its name from the fact that for centuries its sole use was in cleansing ("fulling") grease and oil from cloth and wool. In modern times its field of usefulness has been greatly extended. It is now an important agent in oil-refining, especially cottonseed and lubri cating oils. The muddy oil is filtered through the earth and emerges clear. England was long the only large source of supply, the Cretaceous beds there furnishing great quantities. Cimo lite, found in Greece is a variety of fuller's earth and has been used in similar fashion from the earliest times.
With the constantly rising prices for im ported fullers' earth—due to the scarcity of ocean tonnage from 1914 on — the domestic production increased to the largest figure on record, reaching 67,822 short tons in 1916. The
value of this output amounted to $706,951, an average of $10.42 per ton. The imports for the year amounted to only 16,801 short tons, of a value of $139,664, an average of $8.31 per ton. The relative ton price is informing as to the superior quality of the domestic product. Fully 80 per cent of the domestic product comes from the State of Florida. The other produc ing States are Georgia, Texas, California, Mas sachusetts and Arkansas. Large deposits have been located in Texas and California, but only one mine in each State was active commercially in 1916. The domestic product is nearly all used for clarifying and filtering fats, greases and oils, on which the earth exerts a bleaching effect. Only the imported earth is used for fulling cloth. (See MINERAL PRODUCTION OF THF. UNITED STATES). Consult Ries,