375 



Fibres. 



SISAL FIBRE FROM MADRAS. 



REPORT BY THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE. 



Samples of fibres grown in Madras were sent by the Teynampett Agri- 

 Horticultural Society to the Imperial Institute for examination and report. The 

 results from the Bulletin of the Imperial Institute are quoted below as regards the 

 samples of sisal hemp fibre sent. 



Sample No, 3. Sisal Hemp.— This sample of sisal hemp from Madras con- 

 sisted of pale straw-coloured lustrous fibre, which had been well cleaned, and was 

 of fairly good but rather irregular strength. The length of staple varied from 3 feet 

 9 inches to 4 feet 3 inches. 



On chemical examination the fibre furnished the following results :— 



Moisture, per cent. 



9-3 

 1-5 

 13-6 

 16-9 

 29 

 10-8 

 33-1 

 75-7 



Ash, per cent. 

 a-Hydrolysis, loss percent. . 

 ^-Hydrolysis, „ „ ••• 

 Acid purification, loss per cent. 

 Mercerisation, loss per cent. 

 Nitration, gain per cent. 

 Cellulose, per cent. 



These figures show that the sample is of fairly good quality, although 

 somewhat inferior to a specimen of sisal hemp from Saharanpur, which has also 

 been examined in the Scientific and Technical Department of the Imperial Institute. 

 This inferiority is shown particularly in the greater loss sustained on hydrolysis 

 and in the lower percentage of cellulose, and is probably maiuly due to the 

 present sample not having been so well cleaned as that from Saharanpur. 



The commercial experts reported that the fibre was fairly well cleaned, 

 of medium length and fair colour, and worth from £29 to £30 per ton in the 

 London market. 



Sample No. 4. Sisal Hemp.— This sample of sisal hemp from Lai Bagh, 

 Bangalore, resembled sample No. 3, but was somewhat cleaner and rather coarser. 

 The material was of good strength and had a length of staple 4-g to 5 feet. 



The following are the results of the chemical examination of this sample :— 



Moisture, per cent. ... ... ... 9'3 



Ash, per cent. ... ... ... ... 1"2 



a-Hydrolysis, loss per cent ... ... 11"4 



b-Hydrolysis, ,, „ ,, ... ... ... 160 



Acid purification, loss per cent. ... ... 2'1 



Mercerisation, loss per cent. ... ... 8'4 



Nitration, gain per cent. ... ... ... 41*2 



Cellulose, per cent. ... ... ... ... 77 "6 



These results show that this fibre resembles the preceding sample of sisal 

 hemp, but is somewhat superior to it, especially in richness in cellulose. It is, 

 however, inferior to the sample from Saharanpur referred to above. 



The commercial experts reported that the fibre was of good quality, length 

 and colour, and had been fairly well cleaned, but contained some hard, imperfectly 

 prepared strands, and that it was worth £31 to £32 per ton in the London market. 



CALOTROPIS AS A FIBRE PLANT. 



THE "MADAR" OR SWALLOW-WORT. 



Another bye-product that may be found to deserve the attention of planters 

 is the madar plant or Calotropis, on which under the name of Swallow-wort 

 I have before read articjes in your columns. In Hindustani it is known as ak, 

 and from it the Emperor Akbar derived his name, he having been born under a 



