es SP 
454 
incrusting substances were dissolved. Thorough washing produced 1 
kilo of light-gray textile fiber. 
The following data are reported by Mariano Vivencio, of this iiasen? 
Comparison of a stalk from an edible variety of banana with one from abaca. 
CRUDE FIBER. WATER. 
; “Per cent. Per cent. 
Banana stalk (green) 2.21 91. 48 
Abaca stalk (green) 2. 90 92. 70 
PULPING AND BLEACHING EXPERIMENTS ON STRIPPED AND UNSTRIPPED 
PLANTAIN FIBER. 
Experiment No. 1.—Six hundred and eighty grams of the cleaned fiber, obtained 
by boiling the outer fibrous strips of plantain stalks in dilute sodium carbonate 
and lime (see p. 453) were digested under 5-6 atmospheres pressure for five 
hours, with 20 per cent caustic soda, calculated on the weight of the material. 
‘The washed, dry residue weighed 442 grams, equal to a yield of 65 per cent. 
This residue was repulped in an excess of water and bleached under exactly the 
same conditions as those used for bleaching abac&é pulp. Chlorine consumed, 
15.2 grams, equivalent to 43.4 grams of bleaching powder of 35 per cent strength.” 
The dry, bleached pulp weighed 404 grams, a loss of 8.6 per cent in bleaching. 
The plantain fiber when it is extracted is of a white, silvery luster 
and contains many strong filaments. However, in this respect it is very 
inferior to abacd. This inferiority for cordage purposes proves to be 
an advantage when it is considered for paper stock, for the ease of re- 
solution into the ultimate fibers is directly proportional to the tensile 
strength of the filaments. 
CHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF PLANTAIN FIBER. 
Ash, alkaline hydrolysis, and cellulose calculated on dry weight. 
Per cent, 
Moisture 10. 02 
Ash 3. 46 
Hydrolysis («) 16. 78 
Hydrolysis () 27.42 
Cellulose 68. 21 
Composition of raw fiber from plantain. 
Per cent. 
Cellulose 61. 68 
Fat and wax 1. 06 
Aqueous extract 1.77 
Lignin and pectous substances 22.79 
Water 9.57 
Ash 3. 46 
“9.81 pounds of powder per hundredweight of pulp, 6.38 pounds of powder 
per hundredweight of raw fiber. 
