ZACATON AS A PAPER-MAKING MATERIAL. 
15 
The true fiber (fig. 11) has remarkably good felting qualities, but 
its length is less than that of esparto, which varies from 1.5 to 1.9 
millimeters. 
CHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE GRASS AND PULP. 
In cooperation with the Department of Commerce, an investiga- 
tion of the chemical nature of zacaton grass and pulp in regard to 
such points as have a 
bearing on their paper 
value was conducted 
at the Bureau of 
Standards. 1 
The pulps examined 
were from cooks 7, 8, 
9, and 10. The report 
of this chemical inves- 
tigation, which needs 
no comment, is given 
in full, as follows : 
1. Original straw. — (a) 
Ash; (6) moisture; (c) ether- 
alcohol extract; (d) water 
extract; (e) cellulose by (1) 
Cross and Bevan chlorin 
method, (2) Cross and Be- 
van dilute nitric method, 
(3) Renker's chlorin 
method; and (/) loss on 
boiling with dilute caustic 
soda. 
It was found necessary 
to grind the straw very 
fine, on account of the 
lack of homogeneity of the 
samples . The largest sam- 
ples practicable with the 
u n g r o u n d straw gave 
widely varying results, so 
recourse was had at once 
to grinding all the straw 
in a clean coffee mill be- 
fore analysis. 
Analyses for comparative 
value should refer to dry 
material; hence the mois- 
ture was determined first 
to be 4.8 per cent. The ash gave £ 
in another. In both cases a very 
n. 
Fig. 11.— Pulp of Epicampes macroura, X 352: 1, Bast; 2, porous 
parenchyma; 3, sclereid; 4 and 5, parenchyma; 6, modified epi- 
dermal cells; 7, parenchyma of pith; 8, short epidermis cells; 9, 
long epidermis cells; 10, pitted trachea; 11, annular trachea; 12, bast. 
.1 per cent in one determination and 8.8 per cent 
large proportion of the ash was silica, as shown 
i The chemical work on zacaton was done by Mr. George S. Tilley, at that time cellulose expert at the 
Bureau of Standards, United States Department of Commerce. 
