PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 409 



mcnfs in the modes of prep;iring' tlic pulp, have brought about wliat seems 

 to bo, hereafter, a permanent manufacture. 



There are two of three recent improvements which may ong'ag'c our atten- 

 tion for a moment. Mr. II. H. Collycr patented in England an improved 

 process which consisted essentially in first boiling the straw in water to 

 render it soft, then subjecting it to a cutting action and also to a grinding 

 maciiiue. The straw is rubbed between grinding surfaces until every knot 

 is crushed and made into an impalpable pulp. In this finely divided state 

 the pulp is boiled in strong caustic alkali, which dissolves the silica and 

 reduces the pulp to a finer condition. It is next bleached, and treated in 

 the usual way. The grinding operation of this process seems to constitute 

 the improved feature. 



Another improvement for rendc'^ring the fibre of straw profitably availa- 

 ble for the production of white paper, and which has attracted more gene- 

 ral attention, consists in boiling the straw in an alkaline lye, in a rotary 

 boiler, under steam pressure of from 100 lbs. to 140 lbs. per square inch. 

 Under such a pressure and temperature, the silica and other constituents 

 of the straw, which render its fibre brittle and difficult to bleach, entirely 

 give way, and separate to such an extent tliat they can be almost entirely 

 removed by simple w-ashing, leaving its fibre soft and in condition t« bleach 

 most readily and economically. This has been regarded ns a very import- 

 ant improvement, and one which will render the manufacture of white 

 paper from straw a permanent business. 



This Association has already been made aware to what extent straw 

 fibre enters into the printing papers of this country. 



The old yellow wrapping paper which is made almost wholly of straw, 

 and the straw board for book binding and boxes, have constituted staple 

 articles of manufacture for many years. The manufacturing of quality 

 is carried on by smaller establishments in vicinities where the straw is 

 more abundant and cheap. 



The conditions of its manufacturing are so simple and generally under- 

 stood that we need not, perhaps, dwell upon them here. 



The fullywing article from the WaUingford Circular may now be inte- 

 resting: 



Paper Buttons. 



Everybody knows that buttons are made from metal, horn, shell, glasp, 

 whale-bone, jet, mother-of-pearl, India rubber and wood; but how many 

 know that millions are yearly made from common pasteboard, or, as it ia 

 technically termed, " strawboard ?" Thousands of vests, pants, under- 

 coats and overcoats are to-day buttoned with paper; and in most instances 

 the owners thereof no doubt fancy their buttons are made of horn, wood or 

 india rubber, or some more aristocratic material. 



ORIGIN OF PAPER BUTTONS. 



"WaUingford claims the honor, so far as this country is concerned, of 

 having first successfully used paper in the manufacture of buttons. Chas. 

 D. Yale, an Englishman, first essayed to make paper buttons here, but was 

 not very successful, and soon sold out his interest in the project. lie 



