an Ancient Paper . 113 
lignin-reaction can be obtained either with phloroglucin and 
HC 1 or with aniline sulphate. 
When treated with Cu. Amm., the fibres behave in a 
characteristic manner : the walls swell greatly — causing the 
striations to become beautifully clear — and the lumen persists 
for some time as a very narrow, dark, wavy line, running 
down the middle. The above results lead to the conclusion 
that they are some sort of non-lignified bast-fibres. 
Among the fibres which seemed likely to be met with as 
ancient paper-materials are Flax, Hemp, Boehmeria , Brous- 
sonetia , Cotton, and Nettle 1 . We may exclude, by the re- 
actions, such lignified fibres as jute, straw, and wood, met 
with in modern papers : and, probably, certain Indian and 
out-of-the-way fibres, as Rice, Bamboo, Daphne, New Zealand 
Flax, &c., may also be neglected. 
A careful examination of the above list gave the following 
results 2 : — 
1. Cotton fibres are flat and often twisted ; they are broader, 
longer, and show a wider lumen than those under 
investigation ; and in addition, when treated with Cu. 
Amm. they coil into spirals before complete solution. 
2. Nettle ( Urtica dioica ) fibres, like those of cotton, are 
flat, and somewhat twisted ; they are even broader 
than those of Cotton, and show as wide a lumen. 
Their walls have distinct longitudinal and transverse 
striations, and under the action of Cu. Amm. they 
become swollen and much crumpled, leaving the broad 
lumen very clearly visible. 
3. Boehmeria nivea fibres resemble the fibres of the paper in 
their breadth, narrow lumen, and non-lignified walls, but 
are clearly distinguished from them by their club-shaped 
ends, and their characteristic behaviour with Cu. Amm., 
viz. rapidly coiling into loose spirals. 
1 J. Wiesner, Die Rohstoffe des Pflanzenreiches, p. 447. 
2 See also Cross and Bevan, A Text-book of Paper-making, pp. 30-61. 
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