58 



a much better sample than those submitted from 

 Queensland some years ago. The report (dated 

 19th November, 1913), kindly supplied by the 

 Director, Dr. W. R. Dunstan, is as follows : — 



"Description of Sample. 



" Fibre.— This consisted of 2f lb. of dried 



and withered cactus. The joints of the stem 



measured from about 6 inches to 1 foot in length 



and from about 3 to 5 inches in diameter; in 



many eases the cutieular and pithy matter had 

 been more or less removed, leaving a woody fib- 

 rous skeleton. No information was furnished as 

 to the origin of this material, but it was assumed 

 to be merely prickly-pear cut and allowed to dry. 



"Results of Examination. 

 ' ' The ' fibre ' was examined with the follow- 

 ing results, compared with corresponding figures 

 for commercial esparto grass : — 



" The ultimate fibres of a specimen of prickly- 

 pear fibre from New South Wales previously 

 examined at the Imperial Institute measured 

 from 0-012 inch to 0-032 inch, with an average 

 of about 0-028 inch. 



" The material was readily converted iuto 

 pulp, which was dark brown in colour with darker 

 specks. It was bleached with some difficulty to 

 a cream colour. 



" Laboratory trials showed that the paper 

 made from the pulp was coarse and of poor 

 strength. Samples of the paper are enclosed with 

 this report. 



" The foregoing results confirm the state- 

 ment in the Bulletin of the Imperial Institute, 

 vol. VIII. (1910), p. 46, that prickly-pear would 

 be of comparatively low value as a paper-making 

 material, owing to the low yield of pulp and the 

 inferior quality of the product. It would cer- 

 tainly not be remunerative to produce the pulp 

 in Queensland for export to the United Kingdom, 

 and it seems very unlikely that it could even be 

 profitably used locally in admixture with ma- 

 terials of better quality. This latter point, how- 

 ever, could only be decided by actual trials on 

 the spot and a consideration of the results in 

 connection with the prices of chemicals and of 

 labour in Queensland." 



Utilisation of Prickly-pear Mucilage. 



Samples of "mucilage" were submitted to 

 the Imperial Institute at the same time as the 



fibre, and that portion of the report forwarded 

 by Dr. Dunstan (November, 1913) dealing with 

 the examination is as follows : — 



" Description of Samples. 

 ' ' ' Mucilage. ' — Two samples of the mucilage 

 were supplied: (1) a small greyish mass of soft 

 coagulated mucilaginous matter in alcohol, and 

 (2) about 8 oz. of a clear yellow viscous fluid 

 with a dirty grey deposit. No particulars were 

 furnished to the Imperial Institute regarding the 

 method employed in preparing these samples. 



"Results of Examination. 



' ' The liquid gum, as received at the Imperial 

 Institute, had an acid reaction and a fairly strong 

 smell; it thus seemed probable that fermentation 

 had occurred. In view of this and of the small 

 quantity of material supplied it was not con- 

 sidered that a detailed examination of the samples 

 would furnish results of practical value. 



"It is certain that the gum obtained from 

 prickly-pear could not be sold in Europe in com- 

 petition with other gums which are available in 

 large quantities at low rates. There seems little 

 prospect even of finding a local use for the 

 material in Queensland, though this point could 

 only be determined satisfactorily by the investi- 

 gation of fresh samples on the spot. 



" If as the results of such further investiga- 

 tion it were found possible to obtain the gum in 



