Print advertisement for Hercules CMC, an unpurified cellulose gum manufactured and sold by Hercules Powder Company. The advertisement describes the history and development of the compound. The body of the advertisement describes the properties of the material, including its solubility, tackiness, absorbtivity, and flammability. Each property is accompanied by a small stylized image and a brief description. The back cover of the advertisement describes how CMC may be used in many different industries, for many different products.

Formed in 1912 as part of an anti-trust settlement with DuPont, the Hercules Powder Company (later Hercules Inc.) initially specialized in the manufacture of explosives and smokeless powders and subsequently diversified its business to encompass a variety of industrial products, including pine and paper chemicals, synthetics, pigments, polymers, and cellulose.