262 ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY 



Cellulose 



Considering all forms of plants and all parts of them, the 

 most abundant carbohydrate is cellulose. It is the material 

 which is used by the plant for the construction of the cell wall 

 and is elaborated as a metabolic product by the cell protoplasm. 



Forms of Cellulose. — In the walls of young cells the cellulose 

 is probably pure and is considered simpler in its nature than 

 cellulose as usually obtained from fiber plants. 



Three different types or varieties of cellulose are known: 

 (a) Normal cellulose as found in the fibers of such plants as 

 cotton, flax and hemp; (b) Hemicellulose as found in the 

 stems and leaves of green grasses, cereals, etc., and in the cell 

 walls of certain seeds, e.g. peas and beans. This is considered 

 as simpler than normal cellulose and more like the newly metabo- 

 lized cellulose of young cells, (c) Compound cellulose as found in 

 the woody cells of ripened grasses and cereals and in trees. 

 Also in jute, probably in flax and hemp, and in the cellulose 

 fiber of juicy fruits. Each of these different forms of cellulose 

 is usually spoken of in the plural, as it is probable that there 

 are different individuals or varieties of each. 



Normal Celluloses. — The purest form of cellulose generally 

 obtained is the fibrous variety (normal celluloses) as it occurs 

 in cotton, flax and hemp. Such cellulose is the most valuable 

 of all forms for industrial purposes, and from these sources are 

 manufactured all of the various kinds of cloth, thread, string, 

 and rope, with the exception of those made of wool and silk. 

 From the cotton fiber ^ as found in the cotton boll, the different 

 varieties of cotton cloth, thread and string are made. From 

 flax fiber, obtained from the straw of the flax plant, all of the 

 like forms of linen are prepared. Hemp fiber, obtained from 

 the stalks of the hemp plant, is used in making a stronger kind 

 of cloth known as canvas and also string and rope. Jute fiber y 

 largely compound celluloses, likewise obtained from the stalks 

 of the jute plant, is made into canvas, sacking and carpets. 

 Cellulose, mostly as cotton, is also used in making exceedingly 



