PAPER FROM WILLOW BARK.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XV, Issue IV, 27 July 1895, Page 95

PAPER FROM WILLOW BARK.

Mr W. Roberts has found records in a book of the last century comprising a letter signed by one Thomas Greaves, who was the founder of the Present Mill Bank Paper Mills. This manufacturer subsequently obtained a medal for the production of paper from willow twig bark. The process, it seems, however, was not a success, and did not survive. As an item of antiquarian interest, it may be stated, the letter which was written by Mr Greaves to Moore, on December 22nd, 1787, is as follows :—

‘Sir, —I received your two letters, which should have been sooner replied to, had I not been much from home and particularly engaged. The process used in the making of paper sent you from the bark or peel of willowtwigs was tohave stripped it from the twig in the mouth of September, when the twigs are usually cut for the making of white baskets. I then provided about 6cwt., of which I ordered about two-thirds to be hackled, much in the manner of dressing flax or hemp ; thin dried in the sun, which gave it something of the appearance of brown hemp. In this state it was reduced to about one hundredweight, but being attended with a good deal of trouble, and so much reduced, I dried the remaining 2cwt.. and with the leaves in its green state as it was stripped from the twig, and that was reduced about onehalf. Having prepared the stuff chest and vat quite clean, I chopped the clean bark.or first preparation, ami with the roller and plate quite dull and smooth as possible I set the engine to work, and from it was produced the paper of which you had eight quires sent, being the finer sort ; and from the other half was produced the coarser sort, of which you had the 24 half quires. From these materials I made little more than two reams in the whole ; but had 1 not hackled and cleaned the larger part I expect that I could have made upwards of ten reams from them. Nothing was used but the mere bark or peel of the twigs, without any oakum, hemp, or other preparation. And as I considered that the experiment you wished would then be made. 1 was not mindful of the quantity being more, but the next season, if it is desired, I can readily make any additional quantity, though at what price it may be sold, or to what use it may be best applicable, 1 canuot say, but think it may lie sold at about one-half the expense of other paper that is produced fiom ropes or rags.’