HEMP HUEDS AS PAPEE-MAKING MATEEIAL. 15 
Washing and bleaching. — Washing and bleaching were performed 
for the purpose of bleaching the brown-colored cooked stock to a 
white product, since it was regarded as highly probable that the fiber 
would be suitable for book-paper manufacture. The colored stock 
was charged into a 400-pound beating and washing engine of regular 
construction and washed about one hour, the cylinder washer being 
covered with 60-mesh wire cloth in order to remove fine loose dirt 
and chemical residues. The washer was then raised, the stock 
heated by steam to about 40° C, and a solution of commercial 
bleaching powder was added in the quantity judged to be necessary, 
after which the stock was pumped to a large wooden tank, to remain 
and bleach over night. If the stock was bleached sufficiently white 
it was drained and washed from bleach residues, and if not more 
bleach was added until a good color was obtained. The bleaching 
powder used was estimated to contain 35 per cent of available 
chlorin, as this is the commercial practice, and the amount required 
was calculated to the bone-dry weight of the unbleached stock. 
More bleach is required for undercooked stock than for stock which 
is properly cooked or overcooked; therefore, the percentage of 
bleach required is an indication of the quality of the cooked stock. 
Since bleaching is usually more expensive than cooking, it is desirable 
to cook to such a degree that the consumption of bleach will be held 
within certain limits, depending on the raw materials used and the 
quality of paper to be produced. In these tests it was desirable so to 
cook the hurds that the consumption of bleach would not be over 
about 10 per cent of the fiber. 
Furnishing. — Furnishing is the operation of charging the beating 
engine with the desired kind or kinds of fiber in the proper proportion 
and amount and the adding of such loading and sizing agents as may 
be necessary. As shown in the record of results, the furnish in these 
tests consisted of hurd stock alone and of various proportions of 
hurds, sulphite fiber, and soda fiber. The percentages to be given in 
the record of the furnishes refer to the percentage of the total fiber 
furnish, and this likewise applies to the loading and sizing agents. 
In case sulphite or soda fiber was used, the commercial product in 
the dry state was charged into the beating engine and disintegrated, 
after which the hurd stock was added in the wet condition. 
Beating. — Beating is that operation concerning which the paper 
makers often say ''there is where the paper is really made," and 
although the statement may not be literally true it contains a great 
deal of truth. It is the operation whereby the fibers are separated 
from each other, reduced to the proper lengths, and put in such a 
physical or chemical condition that they felt properly and form into a 
satisfactory sheet. It is probable that the quality of the sheet 
depends more upon the proper beater action than upon any other 
single operation. The action consists in drawing a water suspension 
of the fiber between two sets of rather blunt knives, one set being 
