82 WASHING FIBRE IN ALKALINE LEY. 
half-stuff for paper-makers. Some of the cellular tissue con- 
taining much fibrous matter, might, probably, be converted 
to the same purposes. 
In addition to the above processes of crushing and washing, 
the West Indian account also gives the details of the process 
of boiling the fibre with carbonate of soda and quick-lime, in 
order, it is said, to get rid of the remaining vegetable matter, 
and to bleach the fibre. The different qualities of which, having 
been crushed separately, are of course to be kept so, and boiled 
separately. The proportions given in the above account are 
for making three tons of fibre per day. For this, four large 
(800-gallon) boilers are required, and about 3601b. of soda 
would be consumed, with a proportionate quantity of lime; or 
the soda, that is, its carbonate, may be first deprived of its car- 
bonic acid. This may be done by preparing, in a small 
separate boiler, the quantity of liquid necessary for a day’s con- 
sumption, which may be done in about an hour, by taking, by 
weight, ten parts of soda, six parts of quick-lime, and not less 
than seventy parts of water. The operation of boiling in the 
soda ley is said to be important in separating the gluten and 
colouring matter from the fibres, and also to facilitate their 
bleaching. The lightest coloured fibres do not require more 
than six hours to bleach, whilst the darkest will probably take 
from twelve to eighteen hours. It is advisable to place over 
each boiler the means of lifting the mass of fibre when boiled, 
and suffering it to drain into the boiler before it is carried 
away to be washed. The machinery necessary for cleansing 
and washing may be of various descriptions—as that used by 
paper-makers in England, or by coffee-planters and arrow-root 
growers in the West Indies. The fibre may be dried, by being 
hung over lines made of the same material. These, when dry, 
may be pressed and packed. 
For carrying on the culture of the Plantain on an extensive 
scale, in the West Indies, it is stated that the materials will 
cost £2000, buildings £500, purchase of land £1500, working 
capital £1000=£5000. The estimated expense in cultivating 
one quarree or 5; English acres, in Plantains, will be £30, as 
the work can be easily performed by one labourer in 300 days, 
at 2s. sterling per day.. A quarree will produce 18 tons of 
mill-fibre, the cost of the preparation of which is as follows: 
