288 

 COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS OF THE ASPHODEL. 



BY SIR W. J. HOOKER, K.H., F.R.S. 



Every one is familiar with the pretty, lovely-looking white-flowered 

 Asphodel of our gardens. In the South of Europe, and apparently on 

 both sides of the basin of the Mediterranean, the plant (Aspkodelus ramosus) 

 is extremely abundant ; though it has never, so far as I know, been turned 

 to any account, except that in times of scarcity its acrid fasciculated roots, 

 after much boiling, have been eaten by the poor. In the Paris Exhibition 

 of 1855, there were shown bottles of alcohol extracted from the Asphodel ; 

 specimens of the residuum of the roots after being twice distilled ; paper- 

 stuff from the stalks and leaves of Asphodel — card-paper, cards, paper and 

 writing-papers, of various qualities, manufactured from the same, and 

 mixed in various proportions with rags and common paper-stuff. M. de 

 la Bertoche, in a pamphlet, asserts that Asphodel roots contain upwards of 

 27 per cent, of alcoholic principle, or more than double the quantity which 

 resides in the root of Beet. The stalks and leaves contain a remarkably 

 tenacious fibre, fine, strong, and flexible. The distillation of Asphodel root 

 has been already pursued, and with considerable success, in Algeria ; but 

 the immense abundance of the plant in Tuscany, where it has hitherto 

 been considered only a pernicious and most ineradicable weed, points to 

 the advantage of endeavouring to turn it to account. The fasciculated 

 roots, after cleansing and crushing, are mixed with water, and the fluid 

 is exposed to heat, so as to facilitate fermentation. The alcohol which 

 it yields is pure and colourless, perfectly transparent, and has the colour of 

 alcohul itself. It contains neither acid, salt, nor oily matter : it burns 

 without leaving any residue, arid the flame is remarkably bright. But at 

 the present time, when material for paper seems likely to fail, a most 

 important succedaneum is afforded by the remains of Asphodel. It is 

 undeniable that the residuum of the roots after distillation, together 

 with the other parts of the plant, are eminently adapted to this object. 



The expense of adding the foliage and stalks is no more than that of 

 mowing them. Three processes are necessary : the separation of the 

 useful portions, — the bleaching, — and the reducing the substances into a 

 homogeneous and tenacious pulp. The first is better effected by crushing 

 than by grinding, as the latter mode is apt to destroy the fibre. The 

 second operation involves most difficulty, as the root is covered with a 

 skin which contains a tanning principle ; and it is necessary, unless the 

 expensive mode of hand-picking the root be adopted, to expose the 

 substance to air and light, aided by immersion in diluted chlorine, which 

 brings the substance to a very pale brown tint, which is not objectionable 

 for many sorts of paper. For the third process, that of inducing the whole 

 mass to a smooth and tenacious paste, the paper manufacturers must supply 

 the details. 



