January i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
461 
and suggestions will bo anticipate 1 with interest, more 
especially those which will touch upon " the' mere 
cost of collection." 
Up to the present date the most persevering and 
carefully conducted experiments have unquestionably 
been made by Mr. Feate of Udu Point, to whom all 
praise is due. Mr. Robertson, M.L.C., also deserves 
the thanks of those interested in the increase of our 
products whether in the natural state, or partly 
prepared, for having imported one of the latest of 
Death & Ellwood's fibre machines. 
It is, however worth while considering whether the 
economical and successful treatment of fibre-producing 
material will not bo found to lie in chemical rather 
than in mechanical prooesses. To this end the 
following information may be interesting. Messrs. 
Christy & Co., of 155 Fenchurch-street, London, E.G., 
would, upon application, furnish the fullest details 
upon the subject.— I am &c., F L S 
Suva, 24th Sept., 1888. 
NEW PROCESS FOB OBTAINING FIUBEB. 
The process consists in heating the plants or fibrous 
substances under pressure, with a solution of Thio 
lyite. The operation may be performed in an iron 
boiler of any convenient construction, by simply pass- 
ing live steam direct from the steam generator. 
The pressure necessary for obtaining good results 
dependiug so much on the nature of the material 
to be treated and the quality of the product required, 
it is difficult to give precise "information on this point. 
For the preparation of fibres for textile purposes 
from fresh green plants, a pressure of from 15 to 
:i0 lb. per square inch will generally be sufficient- 
whereas if tho plant has been allowed to mature.' 
or has become dried, it may be necessary to increase 
the pressure from 50 to 70 lb., or even iu some cases 
to 80 lb. For the production of pulp for the manu- 
facture of paper, a higher pressure will as a general 
rule, be required. The boiling process should conti- 
nue for from 5 to 15, hours, for green plants, accord- 
ing to oircumtaoces, care being taken that the max- 
imum pressure is gradually attained in treating dry 
vegetable subslauces. The strength of the solution 
also depends very largely on tho nature of the raw 
material, aud on the amount of substance it may 
be necessary to dissolve It should contain from 25 
to 38 lb. of Thiolyte per 100 gull oris. 
When such plant substances as China grass or jute 
have been boiled, with a view of obtaining fibres 
suitable for textile purposes, thev should, aft-r being 
Washed, be soaked for about half an hour in a di- 
lute acid (one gallon commercial muriatic acid to 100 
gallons of water). This operation must be performed 
in a vessel constructed of stone or wood, or of some 
him. rial capable of withstanding the actiou of the acid. 
Since all plant substances either contain bodies of 
an acid nature or readily yield such on decompositi 
it is necessary to prevent tho solution from becoming 
acid during the boiling operation, and Thiolyte lias been 
specially prepared to this end, thus avoiding the Dec 
it} ei adding another chemical, such as an alkaline or 
earthy carbonate. 
Tin' lull j wing detailed accounts of actual operations 
will render the principles of the process more cleir : — 
China GbasS: — 51b. of decorticated rhoa stems such 
as is obtained by the " 1>> nth Ell wood" machine, 
vera boiled with a solution containing I J lb. of 
Thiolyte \ qiial to 2j li» of ersyUllixe.l sulphate' in 
10 gallons of water, at CO lb. for 5 hour,. The fibre 
was obtained in a oouditiou adapted t i the combing 
process. 
Flat and Hemp may be treated at any age. 
When you git yields the find -oft fibre so much 
desired by spiun. rs. If allowed to hnrdeu in the stem 
Ilia harsh, and sometimes brittle. 
Htraw.— Due ton chopped *trnw was boilod foi 8 
hours at a procure of 711 to 75 1b. per square in, h. 
jstoam vr is blown in thro. 1; h a o rf orated pipe, the b lilez 
being a rotary one. About 630 gallons of water w. ro 
ueo, ooutaloiD.fi Sowt. or) a tall tied sulphite, together 
with 10 lb. sodium carbou.it, (eqtal to L'i e lv t. ol 
rhlOlTte). The straw wae porfoitly putpe I, the librc 
remaining long. 
WooD.-The wood should be chopped in pieces of 
about one half-inch cube, and should if possible be 
crushed or cut m such a manner as to open out the 
fibre Wood (white p,„e) thus prepared was heated 
for 12 hours at loO lb. pressure, with a solution 
containing 3J per cent, of the Thiolyte ■ 
Jute rtc— Jute can be prepared for textile pur . 
poses by heating for 10 hours at 50 to 60 lb. with a 
solution containing 2h per cent, of the Thiolvte 
lor obtaining pulp suitable for making paper the* 
pressure should be increased to about 100 lb ' 
Adansonia can be very readily pulped at 85 lb 
Fo?^^ 1 ° conditions being the same as 
Thiolyte is found to be very advantageous in the 
treatment of plants and substances yielding fibre 
for it can be used in an iron boiler, or converter' 
into which steam may be blown directly There is' 
therefore, no change of plant necessary i n paper 
works, and the result rs a pulp with a long and soft 
fibre at a much less cost. By a simple contrivance, 
the liquor may be recovered aud much of it used 
over again.— Fiji Times. 
NOTES ON ESSENTIAL OILS FROM MESSRS 
SCHIMMEL'S REPORT. 
Angelica Oil.-X parcel of angelica root has been 
received from Japao, though too recently to allow of 
a report upon the , sseuti il oil distilled from it Eb/hr 
species of Angelica are known to occur in Jauan E 
the exact botanical origin of the present consignment 
is not yet ascertained. 6"""-ui, 
Arnica Flowers Oil .-It is stated that 100 kilos of fresh 
arnica dowers yield only about 40 grams of essential oil 
Arnica /{out CW.-lu order to afford pharmacists an 
opportunity of examining this oil more clos.lv, Messrs 
Schimmel have distilled a quantity of fresh arnica root 
aud have at their disposal about a kilogram of the nnre 
essential Oil, which they are willing to supply a t cost 
price for the purpose of scientific investigation 
It,,, Oil. -In respect to this oil, tho demand for 
which ,s said to be still increasing, Messrs. Schimmel 
confirm from tbe.r experience the statements made 
recently as to the incorrectness of the description of 
Us specific gravity and so ubitity.as given iu the United 
States Pharmacopreia. Oil distilled in their New York 
S8 V aU™ C. nl>0rted ,eaVCS hada Specific cavity of 
Jit'el Leave* Oit.-S*np\e S0 f this oil have been sup- 
Calamus Oil -A. sample parcel of calamus roots has 
been receive, from Japui, the oil distilled from which 
will be described in the next report 
Candor Oil-- The "light caphor' oil," beimr the 
portion ot the crude oil boiling at about 175* C-Ts said 
to be now iu regular demand for various technical in 
dustries. ttecehtlyitha, t 6aai practical use in tLe 
oap mauutacture ,t having tho propertv of cover ug 
the. penetrating disagreeable odour of ordinarv kinds 
oi fat and tallow, and also the acrid o lour of lo ■ f 
extracted by means of benzene. For this purpose the- 
light camphor oil may be mixed with the fat before or 
atter saponification, about 2 or 3 kilos being r '' 
for 100 kilos of soap. It is also said to be used bv 
varmsh makers, sometimes alone and sometimes mixed 
with ,u,pe ,.„,„;,. tnaprwiotn report Z ToSn 
was expressed that - light camphor oil ™ contained ter 
pmeol but although this is still thought probable 
b it b -dy has not yet been isolated ; ou the other hand 
it has been found to c „ lt;liu from 5 , , , ; ' ' 
cineol (uuoal)ptol). F OU1, or 
C./.-.Me,.,-, Schimmel refer to a second 
low-pnoe.1, variety of I„dian cauanga oil as h ' , 
juttn ,U. a. a perfume for soaps, but devoid of the KS 
frvgrancethat characterize, the prime quality Iudfcn 
«0M»a oil, and ma greater degree, tile yU^jlang 
BjuMypto fh/.-nm\l\ he remembered that in ur « 
•ton report. Meaar* Schimr, K .| have^Worted'the 
p«,UCeot eUe.lypt.1 i,t U . oil dlstill.-l fro.U J? M " 
lyplHi miyrfabM, the source of most of tho cucaly • 
