Talk:Esparto

typo?
"The fibers are fairly short in relation to their length"? This makes no sense.

UK pre-war use of esparto for paper
I found a book review in Times Online which states:

« it is surprising to learn, the great majority of pre-war British books were manufactured from esparto grass, from French North Africa, and the instant absence of superior esparto (272,000 tons were imported in 1939) meant that paper-makers had to use instead lower-quality domestic oat, wheat and barley straw, as well as salvage from rags and waste paper. »

The reference is: Valerie Holman "PRINT FOR VICTORY -- Book publishing in England 1939-1945", 304pp.British Library. £30. 978 0 7123 5001 3.

I did not feel I could insert this in the article as it is a second-hand reference, but still felt it had to be kept handy.

Rdavout (talk) 13:15, 20 February 2009 (UTC)

I lived in Tripoli, Libya, 1951-1953 (before oil) and recall esparto grass was a significant export product to England. Paulburnett (talk) 13:57, 20 September 2009 (UTC)