Utilizing Corn Husks.

One of the best utilized waste products in Austria, resulting in the manufacture of large quantities of paper and cloth are corn husks. These are boiled within an alkali in tubular boilers, as a result of which the fibers of the husks are found at the bottom of the boiler in a spongy condition, filled with glutinous substance, and which proves to be a perfect dough of cornmeal, containing a concentrated form all the pabulum originally contained in the husk. The glutinous matter is pressed out from the fibers by hydraulic apparatus, leaving the fiber in the shape of a mass or chain of longitudinal threads, interspersed with a dense mass of short fiber. The linen made from the long fibers furnishes a very good substitute for the coarser kinds of flax and hemp, and is superior to jute, gunny cloth, coir and the like. The paper, for which mostly the short fibers are used the long fibers constituting the material for spinning is stronger than papers of the same weight made from linen or cotton rags, its hardness and firmness of grain exceeding that of the best dipped English drawing papers, being especially adapted for pencil drawing, stenographic writing and water colors; its durability exceeds, it is claimed, that of paper made from any other material, and the corn husk parchment is not as exposed points destroyed by insects if the gluten is left in the pulp of the paper can made extremely transparent without sacrificing any portion of its strength. Again, the fiber is easily worked either alone or in combination with rags, into the finest writing or printing papers; it also readily takes any tint or color, and can be worked almost to as much advantage into stout wrapping papers of superior quality as into fine note envelope papers.

source:San Antonio Daily Light
location: San Antonio, Texas