July, 1909.] 



11 



incurred in handling the raw material 

 must be multiplied by 2£ or 3, in order 

 to arrive at the cost on the finished 

 product, since the yield of cellulose will 

 rarely exceed 10 %, and may be as low 

 as 30 % of the dry weight of the plant. 

 Then, the quantity available, at or near 

 the proposed factory site, must be 

 sufficient to produce a paying output. 

 This is an item which will vary con 

 siderably in accordance with other 

 manufacturing facilities available, but 

 as a minimum I would be inclined to 

 insist on an annual crop of 7,500 tons, 

 dry weight, within economic range of 

 the factory. In the case of bamboo, 

 the amount should be at least 10,000 

 tons. The question of what constitutes 

 a profitable yield of cellulose also largely 

 depends upon local conditions. Where 

 the manufacturing and export facilities 

 are exceptionally favourable, a raw 

 material giving 30 % may prove a pay- 

 ing proposition. Under other circum- 

 stances 40 % may be necessary. Generally 

 speaking, nothing under 30 % is worth 

 considering. 



Most of the fibrous annuals can be 

 successfully treated by the alkaline 

 method of reduction, and in this respect 

 they have an advantage over more 

 highly lignified materials like bamboo, 

 which require acid treatment. The 

 capital cost of buildings and machinery 

 is considerably less, and need not be on 

 so large a scale in order to get on to a 

 paying basis. On the other hand, the 

 working cost per ton of pulp is greater, 

 but this again is compensated for by 

 the product being of a better quality 

 and worth a higher price. 



It is impossible to deal at length with 

 all the fibrous grasses known, but as 

 types of the classes most worthy of 

 attention we may refer to three species 

 which have already proved of value for 

 paper-making. 



Muriz {Saccharum Sara)— a, reed-like 

 grass found on chur and waste lands in 

 Northern India. Very gregarious in 

 habit, growing in dense thicket-like 

 masses, which can be cut and collected 

 at low cost. Being generally found in 

 the neighbourhood of rivers, the econo- 

 mic radius of collection is widened by 

 the possibilities of water tiansport. 

 Vields an excellent, easily bleached pulp, 

 similar to that of wheat straw. 



Bhabar or Sabai (Isckcemum augusti- 

 folium) — a erass of the bent or rye-grass 

 type, growing extensively on the Central 

 Indian tableland, in tussocks, and fairly 

 gregarious. Produces a pulp similar to 

 that cf esparto. Is the leading staple 

 of the Calcutta paper mills. Economic 

 radius of collection limited by the 

 hilly nature of its habitat, and the 



cost of cart and rail transport. In 

 certain localities this could largely be 

 eliminated by pulp mills erected in the 

 centres of producing districts. 



Eta {Bee sha Travancorica) — a reed 

 alied to bamboo —common on the Tinne- 

 velly and Tiavaucore hills. Although 

 fouud only at high elevations, (3,000 ft. 

 aud over) it is so densely gregarious and 

 luxuriant in growth, that its low cost of 

 cutting and collection compensates for 

 transport charges out of the hills, and 

 in several localities water carriage is 

 available. One of the most promising 

 sources of paper-making material. 



Wild grasses, similar to those in nature 

 and habit, are to be found scattered all 

 over South Eastern Asia. Provided 

 that they contain at least 30 % of cellu- 

 lose, their value as paper-making ma- 

 terial depends entirely on the manu- 

 facturing facilities associated with their 

 locality of growth. The proper sur- 

 veying, testing and valuation of these 

 scarcely falls within the scope of the 

 non-expert observe]-, but certain broad 

 principles may be laid down for his 

 guidance, which will at least prevent 

 him going to any expense over proposi- 

 tions which the expert would at once 

 condemn as hopeless. These will be 

 briefly indicated in the fourth aud con- 

 cluding article of this series. 



Before leaving this branch of the 

 subject, a word may be said about rice 

 straw. Usually the cultivated straws 

 are worth more for other purposes, and 

 it may be accepted as an axiom that 

 the paper-maker can only use that which 

 has no value for any other purpose. 

 Rice straw has a considerable paper- 

 making value, and in districts where it 

 is grown in quantities largely in excess 

 of local requirements for fodder and 

 other uses, and where suitable manu- 

 facturing facilities exist, there are good 

 grounds for enquiry into the possibili- 

 ties of a straw-pulp industry. It ^yields 

 a pulp of high quality, and for which 

 there is a good demand. Textile wastes 

 lie outside the scope of these articles, 

 but I may be excused for referring to 

 one of them, in order to announce a 

 development which may be of consider- 

 able interest to the cotton grower, and 

 especially to the decorticator and presser 

 of the seeds. The fine down adhering 

 to the decorticated husks, though of high 

 value as a paper mateiial, has hitherto 

 been impossible to work, owing to the 

 difficulty of separating it from the 

 husks. This difficulty has now been 

 overcome. By a simple and inexpensive 

 process, the down can be isolated and 

 made use of for the highest grades of 

 paper. 



