336 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCO VEEY. 



parted juncoidea contains 35 per cent, of the most beautiful fiber known; it 

 could not only be used for paper pulp, but for all kinds of manufactures in 

 which flax, cotton, silk, or wool are employed. It appears that this plant 

 exists in large quantities in Australia, and it is most desirable that some of 

 our large manufacturers should import a quantity of it. The plant wants no 

 other preparation than cutting, drying, and compressing like hay. The bleach- 

 ing and finishing it may be done here. Ferns give 20 to 25 per cent, fiber, 

 not easily bleached. Equisetum from 15 to 20 per cent, inferior fiber, easily 

 bleached. The inner bark of the hme-tree (Tilia) gives a fiber easily bleached, 

 but not very strong. Althea and many Malvaceae produce from 15 to 20 per 

 cent, paper pulp. Stalks of beans, peas, hops, buckwheat, potatoes, heather, 

 broom and many other plants contain from 10 to 20 per cent, of fiber, but 

 then- extraction and bleaching present difficulties which will probably prevent 

 then 1 use. The straws of the cereals can not be converted into white paper 

 pulp after they have ripened the grain, the joints or knots in the stalks are 

 then so hardened that they will resist all bleaching agents. To produce paper 

 pulp from them they must be cut green before the grain appears, and this 

 would probably be not advantageous. Many grasses contain from 30 to 50 

 per cent, of fiber, not very strong, but easily bleached. Of indigenous grasses 

 the rye grass contains 35 per cent, of paper pulp ; the phalaris 30 per cent. ; 

 arrenatherum 30 per cent; dactylis 30 percent, and carex 30 per cent. 

 Several reeds and canes contain from 30 to 50 per cent, of fiber, easily 

 bleached. The stalk of the sugar-cane gives 40 per cent, of white paper 

 pulp. The wood of the coniferae gives a fiber suitable for paper pulp. The 

 leaves and top branches of Scotch fir produce 25 per cent, of paper pulp. 

 The shavings and sawdust of wood from Scotch fir gives 40 per cent. pulp. 

 The cost of reducing to pulp and bleaching pine wood will be about three 

 times that of bleaching rags. As none of the above named substances or 

 plants would entirely satisfy on all points the wants of the paper-makers, I 

 continued my researches, and at last remembered the papyrus (the plant of 

 which the ancients made their paper), which I examined, and found to con- 

 tain about 40 per cent, of strong fiber, excellent for paper, and very easily 

 bleached. The only point which was not entirely satisfactory was relative to 

 the abundant supply of it, as this plant is only found in Egypt. I directed, 

 therefore, my attention to plants growing in this country ; and I found to my 

 great satisfaction that the common rushes (Juncus effusus and others) contain 

 40 per cent, of fiber, quite equal, if not superior, to the papyrus fiber, and a 

 perfect substitute for rags in the manufacture of paper, and that one ton of 

 rushes contains more fiber than two tons of flax straw. 



HOOKER'S PLANTS OF BRITISH INDIA AND THE HIMALAYAS. 



In the years 1848-50 an enterprising and perilous mission was undertaken, 

 under government auspices, Dr. Hooker, of England, with the view of ex- 

 ploring the botany of British India> and collecting specimens of its plants. 

 Starting from Calcutta the traveler proceeded first to Behar, ascended the 

 Soane Valley, and crossing the Kymor range to Mirzapur, descended the 



