The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1929-04-17

strength and was equivalent IN Cen-
sile and tearing strength to the Watab
Companys standard newsprint. A
roll of the cornstalk newsprint in
serted in the press of the st. Cloud,
Minnesota, Times a few hours after
the manufacture ran parallel with
standard newsprint. There was no
adjustment of ink. No difference in
appearance of the two kinds of pa
per was .distinguishable.
The still very limited quantity of
cornstalk newsprint available is be-
ing sold by the Watab Company at
an advance of only 25 cents a hun
dred pounds over the price of its
standard news, the manufacturer be-
lieving that the quality justfies the
price.
At the plant of the Oxford Miami
Paper Company, near Dayton, Ohio,
complete substitution of cornstalk
for new wood sulphite pulp has pro-
duced a fine grade of book paper of
60 per cent cornstalk and 40 per cent
reworked old paper. The cornstalk
sheet tested 8 per cent higher opacity
and better in every respect than all
wood book paper.
Fine Coated Paper
Champion Coated Paper Company
which has the largest coating mills
in the world at Hamilton, Ohio, has
made fine grade of bond paper, and
coated paper which cannot be distin-
guished from its best standard pro-
duct, substituting cornstalk for 70
per cent of the wood sulphite pulp.
Hopper Paper Company at Taylor
vile, Illionois, made tonnage run
of cornstalk paper on February 18th
in the presence of State officials in
terested in the bill to put all Illinois
official printing on cornstalk paper
as soon as enough can be produced.
High grade book and bond papers
were made with blends up to IS per
cent cornstalk.
Engineers and chemists of Corn
stalk Products Company explain that
the use of 100 percent of cornstalk
fibre would be practicable in spe-
cially equipped paper mill, but that
it would be necessary to make certain
adjustments in standard paper-mak-
ing machines to form the all-corn-
stalk sheet at the high speed essen
tial to making paper economically.
High Tensile Strength
Paper experts of the United States
Bureau of Standards have establish
ed that 100 per cent cornstalk paper
has qualities equal to or better than
paper made from 100 per cent OF SUI,
phite. the best grade Of chemical
wood pulp. Sheets for tests were
made under similar conditions.
The cornstalk sheet, although thin
ner, showed much higher bursting and
tensile strength and nine to fifteen
times the folding endurance OF the
wood sulphite paper. Even in tearing
strength the short-fbred cornstaik
sheet was equal. The Bureau OF
Standards summarized its test as
follows:
"The test data show that the
paper made from cornstalk pulp
is strong, if not stronger than
that made from sulphite pulp.
The bursting strength, tensile
strength and folding endurance
of the cornstalk paper are better
than for the sulphite or sulphite-
soda papers, and the values OF
the other properties are as good"
In the opinion of the manufactur-
ers of the cornstalk pulp, there is no
need to talk now of 100 per cent corn
stalk paper because in practical pa
per-makir,y, blends of different fibres
are desirable. The great variety of
textures and finishes could not be pro-
duced otherwise. Long, coarse fibres
are used to form the skeleton" and
fine, short fibres the 'body" Or filler
of the sheet. The fibres are "sized''
with resin OR casein, and kaolin or
white clay is added to give smoothness
and finish.
Ground wood pulp, which comprises
rs to IS per cent of the fibre in or
binary newsprint, is cheap because
the entire wood, cellulose and hgnin,
is used. Presence of lignin accounts
for the discoloration and short life
Of newsprint. The Is to 25 per cent
of sulphite wood pulp in newsprint is
the expensive ingredient. Sulphite,
sulphate and soda pulps are produced
by chemical cooking which separates
cellulose. Cornstalk pulp as now pro-
out the lignin and leaves the wood
duced is chemical pulp, and has
been developed as a substitute for
chemical wood pulps.
Other Farm Waste Pulps
Cornstalk Products Company has
developed also at Danville processes
for utilizing other agricultural vast
es, including rice and wheat straw
sorghum and sugar cane from which
it has produced high grade paper
pulp with characteristics different
from cornstalk but equally valuable
in the paper industry. Cornstalks
wheat straw and to some extent sor-
ghum in the North and rice straw
and bagasse (sugar cane refuse) II
the South could supply practically
every paper-making requirement il
it were necessary or desirable to sup
x>,,1x, o1kborafhar