213 



FIBRES. 



KAPOK OR SILK COTTON. 



An interesting account of the investigations of " Indian Vegetable 

 Flosses," which have been recently carried out in the Scientific and Technical 

 Department of the Imperial Institute, appears in the Bulletin (No. 3 of 1905) of 

 that institution. These silk cottons, as they are also called, are regularly 

 exported to England from India, Java and other Eastern countries under 

 the name "kapok." The latter name properly only refers to the product 

 of the tree called Eriodendron anfractuosum, which is fairly common in 

 and around Madras ; but flosses from other Indian trees, especially the Bombax 

 malabaricum, are also classed under this name. The investigations carried out 

 under the auspices of the Imperial Institute relate to five specimens, sent by 

 the Officiating Reporter on Economic Products to the Government of India, and 

 they consisted of pods and flosses collected from the Eriodendendron anfractuosum, 

 Cocholspermum gossypium and Calotropis gigantea, the last mentioned coming 

 out best from the chemical examination. The amount of cellulose which the 

 flosses examined contained varied between 45 and 69 per cent, as compared with 

 the 95 or 96*5 per cent yielded by cotton under similar conditions. Their deficiency 

 in this respect accounts for their poor tenacity, and, according to the report 

 under review, it is possible that even if the mechanical difficulties encountered 

 in spinning such materials were overcome, the resulting fabrics would deteriorate 

 so rapidly that no demand for them could be maintained. However, it is stated 

 on good authority that although experiments are still proceeding, no process 

 has yet been devised whereby this material can be spun on a commercial scale. 



Suggestions have been put forward at various times and in various places 

 that "kapok" might be used in the manufacture of (1) artificial silk, (2) a soft 

 non-conducting felt, (3) gun cotton, and (4) the nap of silk hats ; but there seems 

 to be no reliable information available to show that it has been employed on 

 a commercial scale for any of these purposes. The best use, therefore, to which 

 kapok can be put would seem to be that for which it is most in demand, viz., as a 

 material for stuffing cushions, pillows, chairs, bedding and similar articles. For 

 such purposes its non-hygroscopic character and its softness and resiliency render 

 it peculiarly suitable. It is also stated to be less absorbent and less liable to 

 harbour insect parasites than the materials generally employed in upholstery, and, 

 according to the authorities of the Pasteur Institute in Paris, it can be sterilised 

 by heat at least three times without being seriously damaged, whereas feathers 

 and other upholstery materials do not usually survive this treatment more than 

 twice. 



Among other suggestions made for the utilization of kapok is a proposal 

 to use it as a surgical dressing for which purpose, however, its slight absorptive 

 power for aqueous liquids is a disadvantage ; and, secondly, in the manufacture 

 of buoys and life-belts. In this connection it is noteworthy that several im- 

 portant steam-ships are said to have recently adopted kapok as a stuffing material 

 for berth-mattresses, not only on account of its softness and resiliency, but also 

 because of its buoyancy, the idea being that mattresses made of kapok could 

 be used as temporary rafts or floats in emergencies. Floss obtained from the 

 seeds of the West African rubber tree Fxintumia elastica, it may be mentioned 

 en passant, has also been tried in this connection, and with every prospect of 

 success, since it has been found that this material when merely packed in calico 

 and placed in water, will support a considerable weight for many hours. If, 

 therefore, the cultivation of the Ftmtumia should be established in this country 

 as an industry, the collection of the floss would probably make a useful bye- 

 product. It is not, however, advisable to plant kapok trees in India extensively, 

 because the floss they yield is said to be inferior to that produced in Java, 

 and also because they are so easily grown and widely distributed that there 

 is 6very prospect of the market being over-stocked in the near future, with the 

 inevitable result of a fall in price. — Indian Agriculturist. 



[There is a small trade in kapok in Ceylon, and the Eriodendron trees are 

 grown round most native hovises in the low-country.— Ed. T- A, & Mag, C.A.S. ] 



