91 



A quantity of this raw material recently received from Trinidad 

 together with a specimen copy of the first newspaper that has been 

 printed from paper made from megass has served to awaken further 

 interest in this important discovery ; and, at the same time, suggested 

 the possibility of improving the paper by means of scientific in- 

 vestigation. The sample forwarded for examination was received in 

 a well broken-up condition of a straw to buff colour, and marked by 

 a few patches of hard brownish outer-cane. The material is rather 

 uneven in strength, some of the fibres are fairly strong, but the 

 majority when reduced are soft, and variable in composition. 



The chemical examination furnished the following results, the 

 percentages {other than that of moisture) being expressed on the dry 

 material : 



Moisture .. .. .. .. .. II'OS 



Asii . . . . . . . . . . 1-54 



Loss on (a) hydroslyis . . . . . . 30'0I 



Loss on (B) hydrolysis . . . . . . . . 4870 



Loss on mercerisa^ion . . . . . . . . 3273 



Gain on nitration . . . . . . . . 10*21 



Cellulose . . . . . . 4771 



Length of ultimate fibre . . . . . . 3*5 mm. 



The-behaviour of the fibre with re-agents shows that it is highly 

 lignified, with uneven distribution ; the percentage of cellulose, 

 however, is sufficient to make it probable that it would meet with 

 a ready demand as a papermaking material if it could be placed upon 

 the market at a price which would enable it to compete with other 

 materials of this class. 



Although several kinds of strong paper can be made from 

 megass, it is found most suitable for printing and wrapping papers, 

 and notwithstanding its natural hardness the finished paper possesses 

 good folding and crumpling properties, and, moreover, is of unusual 

 strength. It is, therefore, only reasonable that its resources should 

 be developed as fully as possible. 



With this object in view special attention has been given to the 

 study of its percentage yield by technical trials in the digester. It was 

 found from a number of preliminary boils with caustic soda that the 

 stuff could be treated to yield a good pulp without resorting to high 

 pressure boiling at a consumption of only 7 per cent, to 10 per cent, 

 of caustic soda during a period of eight hours up to one atmosphere 

 pressure. It yields in this manner ;an average of about 45 per cent, 

 to 50 per cent, of raw fibre, whereas with more severe treatment the 

 resultant pulp falls to 38 per cent, to 40 per cent., and under the latter 

 conditions the consumption of bleaching powder necessary to etfect 

 a good colour is excessive. 



