Indigenous Cellulosic Raw Materials for the Production of Pulp, Paper and Board Part XXI.-soda Pulps for Writing and Printing Papers from Themeda cymbaria Hack. (Elephant Grass)

Laboratory experiments on the soda pulping of Themeda cymbaria Hack. (Elephant grass) are described. The average fibre length of the pulp from this grass is 1.08 mm. Easy bleaching pulps with satisfactory strength properties could be prepared under suitable conditions of digestion. The yields of bleached pulps were higher when the intermediate treatment with caustic soda was omitted during the bleaching process. This grass is reported to be available in sufficiently large quantities for utilization for paper manufacture in the low rolling area of the deciduous forests of the Travancore-Cochin State. The investigation reported in this bulletin has shown that Themeda cymbaria Hack. Is a promising fibrous raw material for the manufacture of white writing and printing papers. The results of these experiments require to be confirmed by pilot plant trials.