Thomas Routledge

“ The high value of land precludes the cultivation of any fibrous material exclusively for paper-making in England, even if this climate was suitable for its growth; with the exception indeed of "Flax" and "Hemp," it would appear that northern latitudes are not favourable for the production of fibre-producing plants, and therefore it is to warm or tropical countries alone any reliable supply of "New Material" can be looked for. ”

“ When the above outlay has been incurred, and clean merchantable fibre results, such fibre will generally secure a high price in the market for Spinning, Roping, and other Textile purposes, far beyond the Paper-maker's limits, who therefore can only avail himself of damaged parcels, or such as, being of low or inferior quality, have been rejected by the "Spinner," and, even then, has to come into competition with the maker of low-class goods, the common "sacking and mat-maker," as any fibre of fair strength, long enough to spin into a coarse yarn, commands good value in the market. ”

“ In the East, and West Indies, in her Colonies and Dependencies, England possesses an inexhaustible supply of fibre-producing plants; in India especially, almost every plant abounds more or less in fibre. ”

“ The "Bamboo," being an endogenous plant, (that is to say, growing from inside) composed mainly of fibrous tissue, combined with the ordinary sappy and other extractive matter common to all vegetable growth, the stems do not require the elaborate preparatory manipulation which is necessary to separate the fibrous, from the extraneous and woody matter, which in exogenous plants (i. e. growing from, or on the outside) must be removed, as it is only the true fibre which is useable for Textile Manufactures. ”

“ The Producer, the Sugar-manufacturer, is, in point of fact suffering from a similar competition to that experienced by the Paper-manufacturer in 1861—handicapped by the drawback allowed on the export of French, and Belgian, Beet-root Sugar, with which he is unable to compete, in the same manner as the Paper-maker suffered from the introduction of French, and Belgian, Paper—free, while the Raw Material—Rags, paid a heavy export duty. ”

“ The cost of the "Plant" and Machinery required for such a Factory would amount to about ***, packed ready for shipment in England, to which would have to be added the carriage and cost of erection, with the necessary buildings, which, however, would be of a very simple and inexpensive character.
I do not feel myself competent to determine what quantity of Land would be required for a plantation to supply such a factory, which would absorb 100 tons dry, say 400 tons green, "Bamboo" stems weekly, but assuming 40 tons produce to the acre, with only once annual cropping, 500 acres should be ample. ”

“ As the value of "Megasse" thus considered is very low, factories established in connection with existing sugar mills for the manufacture of "Paper-Stock," where sufficient quantities of so bulky a material could be concentrated, and where other favourable conditions exist (of which an abundant supply of water is an essential) , would yield a large profit to the planter or sugar manufacturer, as the "Paper-Stock" he would produce would meet with a ready sale at prices at least equivalent to "Esparto," reduced to the same condition. ”

“ Hitherto the "Bamboo" has been collected and treated in a condition more or less of maturity, or without regard to its age; and when the plant has attained its full growth the woody fibre is extremely dense and indurated; when old, indeed, the exterior portion of the stem of many varieties of the plant becomes so hard and silicious that it will, like flint, strike fire with steel. ”

“ That the production of paper in this country is in excess of the supply of the material of which it is made, and the paper manufacture is in consequence dependent for a large portion of its supplies on foreign Rags, amounting [p.22] to about 15,000 tons per annum, which is by estimation a fifth of the whole quantity of Rags used for the manufacture of white paper in this country, on nearly the whole of which heavy export duties are paid. ”

“ In the case of Endogens, the fibres are imbedded or enveloped in succulent, fleshy, or pulpy stems, or leaves; and in the case of Exogens, the fibre is combined with, and attaching to, wood, or woody matter, such extraneous substances or matters constituting, more or less, a considerable portion both of the weight and bulk of the plant even when matured. ”

“ The stems of the "Bamboo" (taken as dry) treated by my process, will yield 60 per cent. of unbleached Fibrous "Paper-Stock," baled up in merchantable condition; assuming therefore an annual cropping of 40 tons, green stems, which will lose 75 per cent. moisture in drying, we have 10 tons dry stems per acre; these at 60 per cent. yield, will give 6 tons per acre of "Paper-Stock," an enormous product as compared with any other fibrous material with which I am acquainted. ”

“ By this system of boiling in continuity, until all the effective alkali in the leys is exhausted or neutralized, I realize an economy of from 30 per cent. to 40 per cent. of soda over the ordinary process of boiling, and by the subsequent washing, or rinsing, in the same continuous manner, without removing the material from the vessels, the normal structure of the fibre is in a great measure retained, waste is minimized, and thus, while being thoroughly cleansed and freed from extraneous matter, the strength and staple of the fibre are preserved ”

“ It grows abundantly also in the West Indies, in Central and South America, the Brazils, in Africa and Asia; in China especially, and in Japan, the plant is indigenous, and the natives cultivate it carefully, employing it for almost every article of convenience and luxury ”

“ Wheat, Oats, and Rye, has of late years greatly extended, both in this country and throughout the continent of Europe, as well as in the United States of America, either alone or as an admixture with rags and other material, for all classes of paper, as these countries equally with England suffer from a deficient supply of Raw Material ”

“ A comparative illustration of the transitional stage of growth above referred to, showing the conversion of succulent vegetable fibrous tissue, into harsh woody [p.6] fibre, may be remarked with "Asparagus," the young and green stems of which, are used as a delicacy for the table, a few weeks further growth converting them into hard woody fibre, which no amount of boiling would, or could, render palatable; the "Asparagus," indeed, has its parallel in the "Bambusa Edulis," a variety of "Bamboo," the young stems of which are eaten and considered very nourishing. ”

“ Caustic soda, but little known in 1861, is now extensively manufactured, and Weldon's new process has greatly increased the power of production and diminished the cost of manufacturing bleaching powder; thus "the comparative expense of chemically reducing Raw Fibres" is no longer an obstacle to progress.
The manufacturer of the present day will, in fact, undertake to make paper from any raw fibre, or fibrous substance that may be submitted to him. ”

“ When the cost of cultivation, of carriage, freight to this country, charges and merchants' profit, are added to the outlay involved in producing clean fibres by the laborious and tedious processes described, even with the exceedingly cheap labour of tropical countries, it will readily be understood that they cannot be sold at a cheap rate. ”

“ The dry, or semi-dry fibre, is then submitted to the action of a willow, or devil, by means of which it is opened or teazed out, and converted readily into a tow-like condition, when it is dried by a current of heated air, induced by a fan-blast, and finally baled up for storage or transport, in a similar manner to Cotton or Jute. ”

“ The daily increasing demand for Paper being recognized, and the impending if not immediate scarcity of Raw Material available for its manufacture, up to the present time, having been shown, to what quarter must the Trade look for an extended supply? ”

“ The cost therefore, of producing merchantable fibre from this class of plants is very considerable, and the produce or yield of fibre, to the plant cultivated, very small, that of "Flax" being computed at from 5 to [p.7] 6 cwt., "Hemp" 7 cwt., and "Jute" 5 to 6 cwt. per acre, "Cotton" being much less; "Bamboo," as I will presently show, producing tons as compared with cwts. of the foregoing, and, be it noted, with far less cost for cultivation, and the subsequent preparation of the fibre.
The stems of the "Bamboo," cut young, as I propose to use them, contain from 60 to 75 per cent. ”

“ I have seen it collected by Wallich, in Silhet, by Hooker, in Chittagong (both North-east India) , from Ceylon wild, in the Mauritius cultivated abundantly, in the West Indies naturalized, and cultivated in several parts of South America, this is the only thoroughly cosmopolitan species. ”

“ Allowing the plantation to be credited at the rate of 5s. per ton, for the green stems, delivered to the central factory, and 40 tons to be produced per acre, we have the sum of 10l. per acre to cover all charges; once, however, the plantation formed, but little cost in the way of cultivation need be incurred. The main outlay would be for rent, irrigation, and cutting, and carrying to the manufactory. ”

“ By following such a system, the stools or roots once established, a systematical and regular cropping, or cutting, would ensue, the stems being all cut down simultaneously, by sections or beds, in regular succession, numerous croppings annually would thus be obtained, and when necessary, fresh beds would be formed, the older growth being available for fuel for the manufactory. ”

“ This it must be admitted has become an important question for consideration, it being evident that unless some "New Material" suitable for the purpose is speedily introduced, the "Paper Trade," one of the most important in the United Kingdom, will be seriously crippled; meanwhile of necessity high prices are maintained, and as a natural consequence the consumer suffers.
[p.27] Fibre-producing Plants—Sources of Supply. ”