3 8o 
Messrs, CROSS and Bevan’S report is as follows: — 
Sample of Grass from Johore. 
We have completed our analysis of the above and beg to report 
as follows : — 
Moisture ... ... ... io 8 
Ash ... ... ... ... 19 
Cellulose or pure fibre ... ... 49*0 
“ (Air dry with 10 percent of moisture.) We find the fibre to 
wash freely on the wire, in other words it is free from the gelatinous 
constituents which render a fibre unworkable on the paper machine. 
We are surprised to find such a very high yield of fibre, this yield 
taken together with the low percentage of mineral matter (ash) shows 
it undoubtedly to be a good paper-making fibre. The former is 
satisfactorily high as the latter is low. We have examined the 
separate fibres under the microscope and compared them with 
Esparto. The average length is about equal to that of the latter, 
but the longer fibres of the Lalang grass run about 20 per cent 
longer than the longest Esparto fibres. The fibres are somewhat 
greater in diameter and thinner walled. We should expect the fibre 
to be inferior to Esparto in regard to bulking but its clay-carrying 
powers to be superior. The grass can be readily treated to yield a 
high class 60 per cent crude pulp removing about 40 per cent of the 
raw fibrous constituents. A halfstuff of this character could be 
press-packed to a very small bulk, and as it would yield about 
80 per cent of pulp to the f>aper maker, with a relative small expendi- 
ture for chemicals, should command something like twice the price 
of Esparto. The fibre is, undoubtedly, well worth attention from the 
paper making point of view.” 
Report of Process of Pulping. 
“ One kilogram grass boiled 5 hours under pressure rising to 50 lbs. 
Caustic Soda used (76 per cent alkali) 150 grammes. Excess at end of 
experiment 40 grammes. The ( grass can be boiled on working scale 
with 15 per cent its weight of ordinary (60 per cent) Caustic, 
conditions 5 hours at 50 lbs. Pulp washed and bleached in usual 
way; consumption of bleaching powder 10 per cent of the weight of 
raw material. 
Though the sample is not bleached to the highest colour we 
anticipate no difficulty in getting a full bleach on a large scale. It 
works very freely on the wire (i.e. parts easily with water). The 
fibres are thinner walled and longer than those of Esparto ; they 
appear to bulk equally well and give a much tougher sheet. It 
will hold the loading material well and take a good surface in the 
calendar. The value of the material we certainly think equal to 
that of the highest qualities of the Esparto grass.” 
(Sd.) CROSS & BEVAN. 
