Fibres. 



230 



[March, 1909. 



Preparation of Paper. 



No great difficulty was experienced in 

 running the pulp ; it retained, however, 

 a considerable quantity of water after 

 passing the suction-boxes, and in conse- 

 quence it was found necessary to keep 

 the press roll down hard. On a large 

 machine this precaution would not be 

 necessary, as more suction-boxes are 

 available and complete control is 

 assured. 



The paper was passed over nine cvlin- 

 ders at a pressure of about 8 lbs. to" the 

 square inch, then through one calendar 

 and finally reeled off. In a similar man- 

 ner a second sample was prepared, using 

 a mixture of half pulp obtained from 

 the lalang grass and half cotton beaten 

 together. The paper obtained from this 

 blend could prove very useful as a high- 

 class wrapping paper, it being stronger 

 and possessing a comparatively high 

 resistance to folding as will be seen in 

 the following table of physical tests 

 done on the finished specimens of papers. 

 The paper made from ''all-grass" pulp 

 would with .judicious treatment for 

 improvement of colour be very suitable 

 for printing purposes. 



The following table of figures was 

 obtained and compiled from tests and 

 analyses made on the air-dried finished 

 papers : — 



£ pq 

 Fliy steal Properties: — 



Breaking strain (lbs.) 8 - 37 S-88 (way of machine) 



Stretch (%) .. 1-03 P35 



Rubbing test . . 27 151 



Thickness^ (inches) 1 " 1 " 



125 235 



Chemical Constituents .-—Per cen 

 Rosin Size ... 2-20 2-43*1 *' 



Ash (Natural and I 0I ? tno 



loading) .. 3 "01 1 -94 f dry 

 Moisture .. 10-40 8"G8 J P a P er - 



The addition of cotton to the pure 

 lalang fibre has the effect of improving 

 its resistance to crumbling, and also in 

 a lesser degree its tensile strength.— 

 Agricultural Bulletin of the Straits and 

 F. M. S., Vol. VII., No. 12, December, 

 1908. 



PAPER FROM RICE STRAW. 



Some time back inquiries were made 

 by persons interested in the rice growing 

 industry of this colony as to whether 

 the rice straw could not be utilized lor 

 the manufacture of paper in the same 

 way as the straw of other cereals, viz., 



rye, wheat, oats and barley is employed 

 in countries where these are grown. 

 The following note from the " Louisiana 

 Planter and Sugar Manufacturer," Vol. 

 XL., No. 25, provides an answer to this 

 question, and shows that by the estab- 

 lishment of a pulp mill, paper pulp might 

 be produced locally for shipment to 

 paper mills to be there manufacturer! 

 into paper. 



"Rice farmers have long been in 

 search for some better use for the straw 

 than feeding it to stock for which it is 

 worth very little in the way of nourish- 

 ment. Recent advices from Beaumont, 

 Texas ; state that Mr. W. D. Wing, a pro- 

 minent capitalist of Bangor, Maine, be- 

 came interested in the proposition of 

 making paper pulp from rice straw, and 

 to ascertain the elemental qualities of 

 the straw in this respect he sent some of 

 the straw to a chemist for pulp mill in 

 Boston, and had some sample paper 

 made from the straw. During his recent 

 visit Mr. Wing exhibited these samples. 

 Notwithstanding they were made 

 entirely by hand in a laboratory, the 

 samples proved to be excellent quality 

 of paper, capable of retaining ink and 

 suitable for many purposes for which 

 paper is used. 



Mr. Wing owns a large amount of 

 stock in a pulp mill in Maine, and is 

 therefore interested in this matter from 

 another standpoint than to merely make 

 use of the rice straw. His experiments 

 thus far have proved conclusively that 

 rice straw will make an excellent pulp 

 for making paper, and it is his idea that 

 a pulp mill should be built in this terri- 

 tory, and perhaps several mills in 

 different sections of the rice belt for the 

 purpose of utilising this straw. He does 

 not go into the question of building 

 paper mills here, for the reason that 

 paper mills are very expensive, and 

 there may be many questions involved 

 in the operation of a paper mill which 

 are not involved in a pulp mill. At any 

 rate, Mr. Wing for the present is inter- 

 ested in thepulp proposition, and his plan 

 roughly outlined is to establish these 

 mills, making the pulp from the rice 

 straw, and ship to the paper mills in the 

 New England States. 



From estimates so far made Mr. Wing 

 believes that the farmer can net ?2 per 

 ton for the straw on the farm. This 

 does not include hauling, baling and 

 shipping, but means that the rice farmer 

 will receive §2 for each ton of rice straw 

 produced. 



Mr. Wing has arranged to ship a large 

 quantity of straw to his mill and 

 demonstrate satisfactorily what sort of 

 paper can be made frcm the straw. Mr. 

 Wing is not speculating lightly in this 



