THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FROM HEMP HURDS. 
By Jason L. Merrill, Paper-Plant Chemist, Paper-Plant Investigations. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The purpose of this paper is to report upon preliminary tests which 
were conducted to determine the paper-making value of hemp hurds, 
a crop waste of the hemp-fiber industry. 
The search for plant materials capable of being utilized in paper 
manufacture is a comparatively recent but worid-wide activity which 
has for its object the husbanding of present sources of paper-stock 
supply by the substitution of new materials for some of those which 
are rapidly becoming less plentiful and more costly. 
The abstract idea of utilizing that which is at present a waste can 
play no important r61e in such activities, the successful commercial 
outcome of which must be based on the three fundamental factors — 
market or demand for product, satisfactory raw material, and cost. 
Since hemp hurds are to be treated in this report as a raw material 
for the manufacture of book and printing papers, the qualities, supply, 
probable future, and cost of the material will be considered in com- 
parison with wood, with which it must compete. There seems to be 
little doubt that the present wood supply can not withstand in- 
definitely the demands placed upon it, and with increased scarcity 
economy in the use of wood will become imperative. This effect is 
already apparent in many wood-using industries, and although the 
paper industry consumes only about 3 per cent of the total forest cut, 
it is probable that it will be affected through this economy. Our 
forests are being cut three times as fast as they grow, and as wood 
becomes more expensive proper growing and reforesting will receive 
more attention. Thus, naturally, a balance will be established be- 
tween production and consumption, but as this condition approaches 
its limiting values the price of wood may rise to such levels that there 
will be a demand for other raw materials. 
The use of waste paper in conjunction with chemical wood pulp 
has increased to enormous proportions, and it is probable that the 
increase will continue. Although it is a cheaper raw material than 
wood, it is reasonable to suppose that as the wood supply decreases 
and the price of wood pulp advances, the price of waste paper will 
advance somewhat proportionately. 
In view of these conditions it is advisable to investigate the paper- 
making value of the more promising plant materials before a critical 
51647°— Bull. 404—16 2 7 
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