37 



ON THE ACCLIMATISATION OF ESPAETO GEASS 

 FOE THE MANUFACTUEE OF PAPEE, AND 

 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PAPEE MILL IN 

 TASMANIA. By J. Barnard. 



A casual inquiry from a friend led me to search the files of 

 a periodical, JPuhlic Ojnnion, for some account of Esparto 

 grass, extracted from The Economist ; and I was fortunate 

 enough to meet with the following information on the subject, 

 published in January, 1866, and which I thought might not 

 be unacceptable to the Members of the Eoyal Society. 



The important position which the lately discovered article 

 of petroleum has rapidly taken in commerce is very interest- 

 ing in itself, as suggesting how quickly the discovery of any 

 new principle of motion would exercise an important influence 

 on the present state of our industry. Another discovery has 

 lately been made, which, though of less importance than that 

 of petroleum, is still so interesting in chara,cter, and so useful 

 as regards an important article of manufacture, as to be de- 

 serving of attention from those desirous of witnessing the 

 introduction into Tasmania of a new industry. 



The discovery alluded to is the applicability of the AtocJia, 

 or, as it is called in Spain, " Es'parto^'' to the manufacture of 

 paper. Mr. Lloyd, of the Walthamstow Paper Mills, is stated 

 to have had a great share in the merit of this discovery ; and 

 Mr. Mark, the British Consul at Malaga, has drawn up an 

 interesting report on the subject, which has lately been made 

 public in the commercial reports. 



This grass is the produce of waste lands : it requires no 

 expense in cultivation, and little in collecting. It is best 

 propagated from the roots, and not from seed. It is perennial, 

 and propagates of itself, and improves by a regular yearly 

 gathering if plucked with sufiicient care. Mr. Mark has 

 devoted great care in his endeavours to ascertain the climate 

 and soil which are favorable to the development of the plant ; 

 and it appears that the Atocha requires a decidedly hot and 

 dry climate, — that it grows equally well in the plains and in 

 the mountains to a moderate elevation, — and that as regards 

 soil it flourishes both in calcareous and argillaceous soils, or 

 when these soils are blended in the form of marl. 



The greatest quantity is shipped from the provinces of 

 Almeria and Murcia ; but it is found, though in less abun- 



