PULPING OF BEECH WOOD

In Japan about 950, 000 t of pulp are expected to be produced at 1953 and after. As the production of 950, 000 t of pulp will require about 15, 000, 000 “koku” (Ca.4, 000, 000 m3) of pulpwood, a great deal of beech wood must be utilizedas a pulpwood in future. Beech wood, however, is inferior to coniferous woods asa pulpwood in the following points. (1) Fiber of beech wood is shorter than thatof coniferous wood. (2) Beech wood contains more elements other than fiber, suchas vessel, ray cell and parenchym. This makes beech pulp heterogeneous compared with softwood pulp. (3) Beech pulp contains more pentosan than softwood pulp. This fact is disadvantageous for beech pulp as rayon pulp. (4) Beech wood is apt to be decayed.In this paper, some methods which make good these defects of beech wood are discussed.