THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FROM HEMP KURDS. 



By Jason L. Merrill, Paper-Plant Chemist, Paper-Plant Investigations. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



The purpose of this paper is to report upon prehminary tests which 

 were conducted to determine the paper-making value of hemp hurds, 

 a crop waste of the hemp-fiber industry. 



The search for plant materials capable of being utiUzed in paper 

 manufacture is a comparatively recent but world-wide activity which 

 has for its object the husbanding of present sources of paper-stock 

 supply by the substitution of new materials for some of those which 

 are rapidly becoming less plentiful and more costly. 



The abstract idea of utilizing that which is at present a waste can 

 play no important r61e in such activities, the successful commercial 

 outcome of which must be based on the three fundamental factors — 

 market or demand for product, satisfactory raw material, and cost. 



Since hemp hurds are to be treated in this report as a raw material 

 for the manufacture of book and printing papers, the qualities, supply, 

 probable future, and cost of the material will be considered in com- 

 parison with wood, with which it must compete. There seems to be 

 Httle doubt that the present wood supply can not withstand in- 

 definitely the demands placed upon it, and with increased scarcity 

 economy in the use of wood wiU become imperative. This effect is 

 aheady apparent in many wood-using industries, and although the 

 paper industry consumes only about 3 per cent of the total forest cut, 

 it is probable that it wiU be affected through this economy. Our 

 forests are being cut three times as fast as they grow, and as wood 

 becomes more expensive proper growing and reforesting will receive 

 more attention. Thus, naturally, a balance will be established be- 

 tween production and consumption, but as this condition approaches 

 its limiting values the price of wood may rise to such levels that there 

 wlQ be a demand for other raw materials. 



The use of waste paper in conjunction with chemical wood pulp 

 has increased to enormous proportions, and it is probable that the 

 increase wiU continue. Although it is a cheaper raw material than 

 wood, it is reasonable to suppose that as the wood supply decreases 

 and the price of wood pulp advances, the price of waste paper will 

 advance somewhat proportionately. 



In view of these conditions it is advisable to investigate the paper- 

 making value of the more promising plant materials before a critical 

 51647°— Bull. 404—16 2 7 



