SCIENCE AND. INDUSTRY. 
request of the Primary Producers’ Union of New South Wales, and 
of the Department of Agriculture, New South Wales, the Chemical 
Committee of the Institute of Science and Industry was recently asked 
to investigate the proposal; but it would appear from their report that 
many economic problems are involved, and that established trade practice 
must be considered in relation to the general inquiry. From a pre- 
liminary survey of the position, it appears that the cheapest raw 
material available in quantity in South-eastern Australia for making 
paper pulp is undoubtedly straw (wheaten or oaten). This usually 
costs from 30s. to 40s. per ton—little more than the cost of collection 
and cartage. 
The Committee reported that, in attempting to utilize old straw, 
cornstalks, &¢., the expensive treatment and the low yield of cellulose 
pulp have to be considered. It is doubtful if it would pay to collect 
for this purpose any material now discarded as rubbish. Assuming 
then that straw boiled with lime and beaten‘to a pulp is used, it might 
either be pressed into boards or cast directly into a one-piece box. 
Although a water or air proof package is not required for the carriage 
of butter, yet this straw-pulp box must be specially treated to make it 
adherent and strong enough, particularly when exposed to water. Straw- 
board, when wet, has also an objectionable smell. Probably these defects 
could be overcome by the addition of some binding and hardening 
material, such as paraffin wax, resin, soap, or waterglass, &¢., which 
would reduce the porosity of the board. Obviously, odorous water- ° 
proofing varnishes, such as magramite and linseed oil, must be avoided. 
Another consideration is the cost of the material. The pre-war cost 
of strawboard was less than £10 per ton, and it now sells for about £28. 
The elaborate and expensive machinery required for calendering the 
board is responsible for a large proportion of. this cost, and would not 
be required for making pulp for butter-box construction. On the other 
hand, special moulds and presses would be required. A further reduc- 
tion in cost is probably possible by incorporating sawdust (after special 
treatment), or other filling material, with the pulp. Such a mixture 
could be poured into suitable moulds like concrete. There are objec- 
tions to a square-cornered ‘box being cast in one piece, but, if the trade 
could be induced to pack butter in boxes of the present capacity, but 
made with rounded corners, a method of construction which might 
possibly be feasible suggests itself. The lid of the box could be made 
in the form of a round-cornered tray about 3 inches deep. It should 
fit nicely like the lid of an ordinary cardboard box, and could be secured 
in place by means of a glued strip of paper. 
On account of the shape, they would be stronger than square-cornered 
boxes, and could, therefore, be made of thinner walls, and with a con- 
siderable saving of material. They would also pack economically with- 
out any re-organization of the present system of handling. While this 
appears to be the most promising method of utilizing straw pulp, it is 
obvious that much investigation is required before it could be adopted— 
investigation in the laboratory, with the assistance of some paper-mill 
machinery to determine the most suitable pulp—and experiments on the 
mechanical side to construct effective moulds, dies, and presses with 
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