practice to answer its main purpose,
viz. to afford such numerical constants as determine industrial values.
In illustration we may cite (a) the results of analyses of specially
selected samples of jute, from which it will be seen that there is a
close concordance of value as ordinarily determined from external
appearance, with the chemical constants as determined in the laboratory.

__________________________________________________________________
| | |
| | Quality of Jute |
|____________________________|_____________________________________|
| | | | | |
| | Low | Medium | Extra | Extra Fine |
|____________________________|_______|________|_______|____________|
| | | | | |
| Moisture | 11.0 | 10.4 | 11.1 | 9.6 |
| Ash | 0.87 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
| Alkaline hydrolysis (a) | | | | |
| 5 mins. boiling | 13.2 | 11.6 | 8.5 | 9.1 |
| Alkaline hydrolysis (b) | | | | |
| 60 mins. boiling | 16.1 | 17.5 | 12.5 | 13.1 |
| Mercerising treatment | 9.2 | 10.5 | 10.3 | 8.5 |
| Nitration (increase p.ct.) | 36.6 | 35.7 | 37.5 | 36.7 |
| Cellulose (yield) | 71.4 | 70.0 | 79.0 | 77.7 |
| Acid purification | 2.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
|____________________________|_______|________|_______|____________|

A useful series of experiments, initiated by the Institute, is that
noted under (b) and (c) above.

(1) To ascertain the quality of the fibre extracted from the plant at
different stages of growth, quantities of 400 lbs. of the stalks were
cut at successive stages and the fibre isolated after steeping 14-20
days. The fibre was shipped to England and chemically investigated, with
the following results:

No. 1. Cut before appearance of inflorescence.
" 2. " after budding.
" 3. " in flower.
" 4. " after appearance of seed-pod.
" 5. " when fully matured.

_________________________________________________________________
| | | | | | |
| | (1) | (2) | (3) |