Moreover, a "_Fibrous_" substance once reduced to the condition of "_Pulp_," it is difficult, if not impossible, even for a Microscopist, to distinguish accurately the character or quality of the original "_Fibre_,"--its strength,--or whether it has been properly or improperly treated, and reduced to that condition--until, perhaps too late, when he has bleached it, and converted it, or attempted to convert it, into a sheet of Paper. With a Fibrous "_Paper-Stock_," however, these objections do not apply, or certainly not to the same degree, as the Paper-maker could readily examine and judge of the character and strength of the "_Fibre_" whether it was clean and free from imperfections or adulterations--in fact, could see what he was buying, or proposing to buy, which he could not do with "_Half-Stuff_" or "_Pulp_." So far as the Producer is concerned, his outlay for the primary "Plant" and the mechanical appliances, the cost of the subsequent treatment, the drying, packing, and economical carriage and freight from a Foreign country, would in all respects be less for "_Paper-Stock_" than for "_Half-Stuff_" or "_Pulp_." Speaking from the experience of some years, during which I have conducted the manufacture and sale of many thousand tons of "_Half-Stuff_" prepared from "ESPARTO" and other "_Raw Fibres_," I feel satisfied that in introducing a _New Semi-prepared Material_, from a Foreign country, the preference would be given by the practical Paper-maker to a "_Fibrous Paper-Stock_." THOMAS ROUTLEDGE. CLAXHEUGH, SUNDERLAND, 1875. FOOTNOTES: [A] The Journal of the Society of Arts, 28th Nov., 1856, was printed on paper made from Esparto, at Eynsham Mills, near Oxford, then in my occupation. Transcriber's Notes: Passages in italics are indicated by _underscore_. Fractions are displayed as follows: 1/2 correlates with 1 half, 1-1/2 correlates with 1 and a half.... On page 15 some text is missing it is marked as ***. Other than the corrections listed below, printer's inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation, hyphenation, and ligature usage have been retained. The following misprints have been corrected: changed "with "HEMP' and "FLAX," where" into "with "HEMP" and "FLAX," where" (page 8) changed "the "15,000 _tons_ of Rags estimated by" into "the "15,000 _tons_ of Rags" estimated by" (page 22) End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Bamboo, Considered as a Paper-making Material, by Thomas Routledge