May 1907.] 



271 



Fibres* 



Sample No. 5. ("Agave Wightii).— This sample of the fibre of Agave Wightii 

 from Madras consisted of lustrous, pale straw-coloured fibre which had been fairly- 

 well cleaned, but still retained a small quantity of adherent green matter. The 

 material was of rather poor strength and had a staple 2 to 2-A feet long, 



On chemical examination it yielded the following results :— 



Moisture, per cent. 



9-9 



Ash, per cent. 



2-6 



a-Hydrolysis, loss per cent. 



... 16-3 



b-Hydrolysis, „ „ „ ... 



... 18-7 



Acid purification, loss per cent. 



2-9 



Mercerisation, „ ,, ,, 



... 10-9 



Nitration, gain per cent. ... 



... 14-2 



Cellulose, per cent. 



... 75-2 



These figures show that the fibre is of fair quality, but rather susceptible to 

 the action of alkali. The greater part of the loss in weight on hydrolysis is 

 sustained, however, during the first five minutes' boiling (a-hydrolysis), and appears 

 to be due rather to the presence of gummy impurities which were not removed 

 during the preparation of the material, than to attack of the actual fibre substance. 

 There can be no doubt that this product would be of good serviceable quality if 

 more care were exercised in its preparation. 



The commercial experts reported that the fibre was soft, of fair colour and 

 fairly clean, but contained some coarse ends and hard, imperfectly prepared strands. 

 The value of the material was estimated at £22 to £23 per ton in the London market. 



Sample No. 6, Mauritius Hemp {Furcraea gigantea). — This sample of 

 Mauritius hemp from Lai Bagh, Bangalore, was of a pale greenish-brown colour, and 

 had been very imperfectly prepared. The product was fairly strong, and from 3 feet 

 6 inches to 4 feet 3 inches in length. 



The results of the chemical examination are as follows : - 



Moisture, per cent. 



9-3 



Ash, per cent. ... 



1 ... 2-1 



a-Hydrolysis, loss per cent. 



17-1 



o-Hydrolysis ,, ,, ,, 



23-9 



Acid purification, loss per cent. 



... 61 



Mercerisation, ,, ,, ,, 



12-0 



Nitration, gain per cent. ... 



28-0 



Cellulose, per cent. 



70-3 



On comparing these results with those furnished by another Indian sample 

 of Furcraea gigantea examined in the Scientific and Technical Department of the 

 Imperial Institute (see table on page 272), it is apparent that the quality of the 

 present sample is decidedly inferior. This is indicated by the greater losses sustained 

 on hydrolysis and mercerisation, the smaller proportion of cellulose and the 

 smaller increase of weight on nitration, and it is therefore probable that this 

 sample would be less valuable and durable, 



The commercial experts reported that the sample consisted of rather short 

 and coarse fibre, which was of a poor, dull colour, had not been well cleaned, and 

 was worth £23 to £24 per ton in the London market. 



The results obtained in the chemical investigation of these six samples are 

 collected together in the following table, to which are added, for convenience of 



