HEMP HUKDS AS PAPER-MAKING MATERIAL. 25 
Nos. 143 and 144 are satisfactory in these respects, the other sam- 
ples being more or less thickly specked with shives. • The general 
character and tests of these papers correspond very closely with 
No. 1 machine-finish printing paper, according to the specifications 
of the United States Government Printing Office, which call for a 
sheet not exceeding 0.0035 inch in thickness, strength not less than 
12 points, free from unbleached or ground wood pulp, and ash not 
over 10 per cent. The strength factor of such papers is about 0.28. 
The ash should not be over 10 per cent for this grade of paper, but 
in spite of the larger amount used the physical tests are sufficiently 
high. It is to be noted that the physical tests of samples Nos. 138 
to 142, inclusive, are higher than in Nos. 143 and 144, in which 23 
per cent of soda poplar was used, which shows clearly that hemp- 
hurd stock imparts strength and folding endurance to a greater 
extent than does soda-poplar stock. From these preliminary tests it 
would be concluded, therefore, that hemp-hurd stock acts similarly 
to soda-poplar stock, but will produce a somewhat harsher and 
stronger sheet and one of higher folding endurance. Undoubtedly, 
there is more dirt in the samples than would be tolerated by the 
trade, but this was to be expected, since in this preliminary work the 
raw material was sieved by hand screens instead of by automatic 
machines which would sieve more thoroughly. 
CONCLUSIONS. 
There appears to &e little doubt that under the present system of 
forest use and consumption the present supply can not withstand 
the demands placed upon it. By the time improved methods of 
forestry have established an equilibrium between production and 
consumption, the price of pulp wood may be such that a knowledge 
of other available raw materials may be imperative. 
Semicommercial paper-making tests were conducted, therefore, on 
hemp hurds, in cooperation with a paper manufacturer. After 
several trials, under conditions of treatment and manufacture which 
are regarded as favorable in comparison with those used with pulp 
wood, paper was produced which received very favorable comment 
both from investigators and from the trade and which according to 
official tests would be classed as a No. 1 machine-finish printing 
paper. ' 
