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Identification

Fibre type	Fruit
Average fibre lenght	16mm (10-40mm)
Average fibre width	20μm (12-38μm)
Fibre ends	Variable, usually broken or tapering.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Flat ribbon-like twisted fibers When fibers have been mercerized, they swell and the convolutions are no longer visible. Immature fibers often are not twisted. Transverse cut : Kidney bean shape, clear lumen. Prominent fiber wall.
Herzberg staining	Red light purple.
Graff 'C' staining	Yellow.

Botanical classification

Gossypium arboreum L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant growing area

Gossypium arboreum L. is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; it is supposed to be native from India and Sri Lanka.

All species have been introduced to China.

China (Cultivated. Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

There are around thirty wild species and many hybrids developed in many areas, but the main species (diploid) are Gossypium herbaceum L. (var. typicum, or frutescens, or africanum), Gossypium arboreum L. (var. typicum, or neglectum, or cernuum).

The cultivated species (triploid) are Gossypium barbadense L, Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium religiosum L.

The origin is uncertain. The Herbaceum was imported as domesticated species to Saudi and Syria and then to India, where Arboreum has developed from the Herbaceum. Then it prevailed in Africa and Asia. From these species a triploid has developed which replaced the two other ones.

Many archaeological evidences show that cotton was domesticated several thousand years before our Era and in regions far apart: 10.000 BC in Egypt, Mexico 7000 BC, from 2300 BC in India. However, it seems certain that it is from India that it has spread to Persia in the 4th century BC and to Malaysia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia and China.

Gossypium arboreum is a perennial shrub up to 1.50m in height; other species can be perennial herbs or shrubs.

The colors of the flowers vary depending on the species, from off-white to purple. The fruits are ovoid capsules which open at maturity in 3 to 5 valves containing 6 to 12 seeds covered with hair, white fibers which can be 2 to 5 cm in length depending on the variety.

There are two types of fibers: long fibers (lints), and shorter hairs (linters).

The seeds, after removal of the fibers can produce oil. The roots are used as decoctions in the Indian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of urinary diseases.

The fibers used for textiles and paper production come from the hairs of the seeds of one or an other species.

In the case of paper, fibers tend to come from rags, they are rarely used raw. But in this case, the linters or more rarely, lints are used.

The first attempts to use fibers directly from the plant began in the early 20th century in the modern industry. Linters are torn by special gins. The lints are treated with caustic soda and linters by caustic solutions and are bleached.

China:

Cotton has never been used as a major material in the manufacture of paper, probably because of its use in textiles. There is a paper called "cotton paper" (Mien chih) but it is made from paper mulberry.

Cotton clothes are admired under the Tang’s (618-907), but the cultivation of cotton settles later. At that time, the calicos and muslins were imported by Chinese merchants from India to the warehouse of Palembang in Indonesia. From there, the culture has developed in Indochina.

It would be ambassadors from Indochina who presented to Emperor cottonseed as a tribute. The cultivation of cotton was slow to spread throughout China. However texts from the Tang period mention the cultivation in the south of a plant called Ku pei or Chi pei or cotton.

Culture really starts in the Song dynasty (960-1279) provided by two routes:

The south, from Indochina to Guangdong, Fujian.

The west to Gansu and Shanxi, through Turkestan. It is the variety Herbaceum that will not exceed the north boarders. The other will spread everywhere and quickly.

At the end of the 13th century, cotton has come to Chang Jiang (Yangzi River or blue River) and becomes a real industry.

As the culture takes a lot of water, it is planted in rotation with rice in the south and wheat in the north.

In the late Ming (1368-1644) it is the most important crop in the delta of the Chang Jiang.

Japan:

Cotton has been used in Japon since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Korea:

From the Joseon period (1392-1910), raw materials traditionally used for paper production, mainly bark of Broussonetias begin to fail. Papermakers face to a growing demand for paper stimulated by the development of publications initiated during the Goryeo period (907-1392). Other plants will be used to provide a fiber supplement such as wisteria, rice, oat and barley straws, bamboo, jute, cotton and hemp but also willow leaves, reeds, the bark and needles of pine.

In Korea, stem is also used.

Preparation process for making paper

Cotton tree bears flowers and fruits at the same time, so harvesting lasts several months when the fruit is ripe: the capsules burst and release the fibers which are torn.

Cotton is dried in the air for several days. The long fibers are separated from the seeds and waste and will then go through a further cleaning. The short fibers are collected with gins.

Paper names

In Asia and particularly in China, Korea and Japan, the papers are intended for a wide range of use: Papers for calligraphy and art, Papers for ceremonies, Paper as a medium of exchange, money paper, Papers for making clothes, wall hangings and bedding, Papers for architecture, interior design, Papers for crafts of various kinds, for domestic purposes and leisure. The names assigned to the paper refers to different notions: The material used, The place of production, The method of production, Appearance, Dimensions, Use, The name of an artist or a studio etc.

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Used part of the plant:

Fruit

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

Korean

Local scripture:

목화

Identification

Fibre type	Fruit
Average fibre lenght	16mm (10-40mm)
Average fibre width	20μm (12-38μm)
Fibre ends	Variable, usually broken or tapering.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Flat ribbon-like twisted fibers When fibers have been mercerized, they swell and the convolutions are no longer visible. Immature fibers often are not twisted. Transverse cut : Kidney bean shape, clear lumen. Prominent fiber wall.
Herzberg staining	Red light purple.
Graff 'C' staining	Yellow.

Botanical classification

Gossypium arboreum L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant growing area

Gossypium arboreum L. is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; it is supposed to be native from India and Sri Lanka.

All species have been introduced to China.

China (Cultivated. Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

The cultivated species (triploid) are Gossypium barbadense L, Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium religiosum L.

Gossypium arboreum is a perennial shrub up to 1.50m in height; other species can be perennial herbs or shrubs.

There are two types of fibers: long fibers (lints), and shorter hairs (linters).

The seeds, after removal of the fibers can produce oil. The roots are used as decoctions in the Indian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of urinary diseases.

The fibers used for textiles and paper production come from the hairs of the seeds of one or an other species.

In the case of paper, fibers tend to come from rags, they are rarely used raw. But in this case, the linters or more rarely, lints are used.

China:

Culture really starts in the Song dynasty (960-1279) provided by two routes:

The south, from Indochina to Guangdong, Fujian.

The west to Gansu and Shanxi, through Turkestan. It is the variety Herbaceum that will not exceed the north boarders. The other will spread everywhere and quickly.

At the end of the 13th century, cotton has come to Chang Jiang (Yangzi River or blue River) and becomes a real industry.

As the culture takes a lot of water, it is planted in rotation with rice in the south and wheat in the north.

In the late Ming (1368-1644) it is the most important crop in the delta of the Chang Jiang.

Japan:

Cotton has been used in Japon since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Korea:

In Korea, stem is also used.

Preparation process for making paper

Cotton tree bears flowers and fruits at the same time, so harvesting lasts several months when the fruit is ripe: the capsules burst and release the fibers which are torn.

Cotton is dried in the air for several days. The long fibers are separated from the seeds and waste and will then go through a further cleaning. The short fibers are collected with gins.

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Used part of the plant:

Fruit

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

Japanese

Local scripture:

キダチワタ

Identification

Fibre type	Fruit
Average fibre lenght	16mm (10-40mm)
Average fibre width	20μm (12-38μm)
Fibre ends	Variable, usually broken or tapering.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Flat ribbon-like twisted fibers When fibers have been mercerized, they swell and the convolutions are no longer visible. Immature fibers often are not twisted. Transverse cut : Kidney bean shape, clear lumen. Prominent fiber wall.
Herzberg staining	Red light purple.
Graff 'C' staining	Yellow.

Botanical classification

Gossypium arboreum L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant growing area

Gossypium arboreum L. is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; it is supposed to be native from India and Sri Lanka.

All species have been introduced to China.

China (Cultivated. Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

The cultivated species (triploid) are Gossypium barbadense L, Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium religiosum L.

Gossypium arboreum is a perennial shrub up to 1.50m in height; other species can be perennial herbs or shrubs.

There are two types of fibers: long fibers (lints), and shorter hairs (linters).

The seeds, after removal of the fibers can produce oil. The roots are used as decoctions in the Indian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of urinary diseases.

The fibers used for textiles and paper production come from the hairs of the seeds of one or an other species.

In the case of paper, fibers tend to come from rags, they are rarely used raw. But in this case, the linters or more rarely, lints are used.

China:

Culture really starts in the Song dynasty (960-1279) provided by two routes:

The south, from Indochina to Guangdong, Fujian.

The west to Gansu and Shanxi, through Turkestan. It is the variety Herbaceum that will not exceed the north boarders. The other will spread everywhere and quickly.

At the end of the 13th century, cotton has come to Chang Jiang (Yangzi River or blue River) and becomes a real industry.

As the culture takes a lot of water, it is planted in rotation with rice in the south and wheat in the north.

In the late Ming (1368-1644) it is the most important crop in the delta of the Chang Jiang.

Japan:

Cotton has been used in Japon since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Korea:

In Korea, stem is also used.

Preparation process for making paper

Cotton tree bears flowers and fruits at the same time, so harvesting lasts several months when the fruit is ripe: the capsules burst and release the fibers which are torn.

Cotton is dried in the air for several days. The long fibers are separated from the seeds and waste and will then go through a further cleaning. The short fibers are collected with gins.

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Used part of the plant:

Fruit

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

Chinese

Local scripture:

鸡脚棉

Identification

Fibre type	Fruit
Average fibre lenght	16mm (10-40mm)
Average fibre width	20μm (12-38μm)
Fibre ends	Variable, usually broken or tapering.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Flat ribbon-like twisted fibers When fibers have been mercerized, they swell and the convolutions are no longer visible. Immature fibers often are not twisted. Transverse cut : Kidney bean shape, clear lumen. Prominent fiber wall.
Herzberg staining	Red light purple.
Graff 'C' staining	Yellow.

Botanical classification

Gossypium arboreum L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant growing area

Gossypium arboreum L. is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; it is supposed to be native from India and Sri Lanka.

All species have been introduced to China.

China (Cultivated. Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

The cultivated species (triploid) are Gossypium barbadense L, Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium religiosum L.

Gossypium arboreum is a perennial shrub up to 1.50m in height; other species can be perennial herbs or shrubs.

There are two types of fibers: long fibers (lints), and shorter hairs (linters).

The seeds, after removal of the fibers can produce oil. The roots are used as decoctions in the Indian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of urinary diseases.

The fibers used for textiles and paper production come from the hairs of the seeds of one or an other species.

In the case of paper, fibers tend to come from rags, they are rarely used raw. But in this case, the linters or more rarely, lints are used.

China:

Culture really starts in the Song dynasty (960-1279) provided by two routes:

The south, from Indochina to Guangdong, Fujian.

The west to Gansu and Shanxi, through Turkestan. It is the variety Herbaceum that will not exceed the north boarders. The other will spread everywhere and quickly.

At the end of the 13th century, cotton has come to Chang Jiang (Yangzi River or blue River) and becomes a real industry.

As the culture takes a lot of water, it is planted in rotation with rice in the south and wheat in the north.

In the late Ming (1368-1644) it is the most important crop in the delta of the Chang Jiang.

Japan:

Cotton has been used in Japon since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Korea:

In Korea, stem is also used.

Preparation process for making paper

Cotton tree bears flowers and fruits at the same time, so harvesting lasts several months when the fruit is ripe: the capsules burst and release the fibers which are torn.

Cotton is dried in the air for several days. The long fibers are separated from the seeds and waste and will then go through a further cleaning. The short fibers are collected with gins.

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Used part of the plant:

Fruit

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

French

Identification

Fibre type	Fruit
Average fibre lenght	16mm (10-40mm)
Average fibre width	20μm (12-38μm)
Fibre ends	Variable, usually broken or tapering.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Flat ribbon-like twisted fibers When fibers have been mercerized, they swell and the convolutions are no longer visible. Immature fibers often are not twisted. Transverse cut : Kidney bean shape, clear lumen. Prominent fiber wall.
Herzberg staining	Red light purple.
Graff 'C' staining	Yellow.

Botanical classification

Gossypium arboreum L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant growing area

Gossypium arboreum L. is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; it is supposed to be native from India and Sri Lanka.

All species have been introduced to China.

China (Cultivated. Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

The cultivated species (triploid) are Gossypium barbadense L, Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium religiosum L.

Gossypium arboreum is a perennial shrub up to 1.50m in height; other species can be perennial herbs or shrubs.

There are two types of fibers: long fibers (lints), and shorter hairs (linters).

The seeds, after removal of the fibers can produce oil. The roots are used as decoctions in the Indian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of urinary diseases.

The fibers used for textiles and paper production come from the hairs of the seeds of one or an other species.

In the case of paper, fibers tend to come from rags, they are rarely used raw. But in this case, the linters or more rarely, lints are used.

China:

Culture really starts in the Song dynasty (960-1279) provided by two routes:

The south, from Indochina to Guangdong, Fujian.

The west to Gansu and Shanxi, through Turkestan. It is the variety Herbaceum that will not exceed the north boarders. The other will spread everywhere and quickly.

At the end of the 13th century, cotton has come to Chang Jiang (Yangzi River or blue River) and becomes a real industry.

As the culture takes a lot of water, it is planted in rotation with rice in the south and wheat in the north.

In the late Ming (1368-1644) it is the most important crop in the delta of the Chang Jiang.

Japan:

Cotton has been used in Japon since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Korea:

In Korea, stem is also used.

Preparation process for making paper

Cotton tree bears flowers and fruits at the same time, so harvesting lasts several months when the fruit is ripe: the capsules burst and release the fibers which are torn.

Cotton is dried in the air for several days. The long fibers are separated from the seeds and waste and will then go through a further cleaning. The short fibers are collected with gins.

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Used part of the plant:

Fruit

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

Korean

Local scripture:

면

Identification

Fibre type	Fruit
Average fibre lenght	16mm (10-40mm)
Average fibre width	20μm (12-38μm)
Fibre ends	Variable, usually broken or tapering.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Flat ribbon-like twisted fibers When fibers have been mercerized, they swell and the convolutions are no longer visible. Immature fibers often are not twisted. Transverse cut : Kidney bean shape, clear lumen. Prominent fiber wall.
Herzberg staining	Red light purple.
Graff 'C' staining	Yellow.

Botanical classification

Gossypium arboreum L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant growing area

Gossypium arboreum L. is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; it is supposed to be native from India and Sri Lanka.

All species have been introduced to China.

China (Cultivated. Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

The cultivated species (triploid) are Gossypium barbadense L, Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium religiosum L.

Gossypium arboreum is a perennial shrub up to 1.50m in height; other species can be perennial herbs or shrubs.

There are two types of fibers: long fibers (lints), and shorter hairs (linters).

The seeds, after removal of the fibers can produce oil. The roots are used as decoctions in the Indian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of urinary diseases.

The fibers used for textiles and paper production come from the hairs of the seeds of one or an other species.

In the case of paper, fibers tend to come from rags, they are rarely used raw. But in this case, the linters or more rarely, lints are used.

China:

Culture really starts in the Song dynasty (960-1279) provided by two routes:

The south, from Indochina to Guangdong, Fujian.

The west to Gansu and Shanxi, through Turkestan. It is the variety Herbaceum that will not exceed the north boarders. The other will spread everywhere and quickly.

At the end of the 13th century, cotton has come to Chang Jiang (Yangzi River or blue River) and becomes a real industry.

As the culture takes a lot of water, it is planted in rotation with rice in the south and wheat in the north.

In the late Ming (1368-1644) it is the most important crop in the delta of the Chang Jiang.

Japan:

Cotton has been used in Japon since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Korea:

In Korea, stem is also used.

Preparation process for making paper

Cotton tree bears flowers and fruits at the same time, so harvesting lasts several months when the fruit is ripe: the capsules burst and release the fibers which are torn.

Cotton is dried in the air for several days. The long fibers are separated from the seeds and waste and will then go through a further cleaning. The short fibers are collected with gins.

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Used part of the plant:

Fruit

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

Chinese

Local scripture:

树棉

Identification

Fibre type	Fruit
Average fibre lenght	16mm (10-40mm)
Average fibre width	20μm (12-38μm)
Fibre ends	Variable, usually broken or tapering.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Flat ribbon-like twisted fibers When fibers have been mercerized, they swell and the convolutions are no longer visible. Immature fibers often are not twisted. Transverse cut : Kidney bean shape, clear lumen. Prominent fiber wall.
Herzberg staining	Red light purple.
Graff 'C' staining	Yellow.

Botanical classification

Gossypium arboreum L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant growing area

Gossypium arboreum L. is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; it is supposed to be native from India and Sri Lanka.

All species have been introduced to China.

China (Cultivated. Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

The cultivated species (triploid) are Gossypium barbadense L, Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium religiosum L.

Gossypium arboreum is a perennial shrub up to 1.50m in height; other species can be perennial herbs or shrubs.

There are two types of fibers: long fibers (lints), and shorter hairs (linters).

The seeds, after removal of the fibers can produce oil. The roots are used as decoctions in the Indian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of urinary diseases.

The fibers used for textiles and paper production come from the hairs of the seeds of one or an other species.

In the case of paper, fibers tend to come from rags, they are rarely used raw. But in this case, the linters or more rarely, lints are used.

China:

Culture really starts in the Song dynasty (960-1279) provided by two routes:

The south, from Indochina to Guangdong, Fujian.

The west to Gansu and Shanxi, through Turkestan. It is the variety Herbaceum that will not exceed the north boarders. The other will spread everywhere and quickly.

At the end of the 13th century, cotton has come to Chang Jiang (Yangzi River or blue River) and becomes a real industry.

As the culture takes a lot of water, it is planted in rotation with rice in the south and wheat in the north.

In the late Ming (1368-1644) it is the most important crop in the delta of the Chang Jiang.

Japan:

Cotton has been used in Japon since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Korea:

In Korea, stem is also used.

Preparation process for making paper

Cotton tree bears flowers and fruits at the same time, so harvesting lasts several months when the fruit is ripe: the capsules burst and release the fibers which are torn.

Cotton is dried in the air for several days. The long fibers are separated from the seeds and waste and will then go through a further cleaning. The short fibers are collected with gins.

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Used part of the plant:

Fruit

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

English

Identification

Fibre type	Fruit
Average fibre lenght	16mm (10-40mm)
Average fibre width	20μm (12-38μm)
Fibre ends	Variable, usually broken or tapering.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Flat ribbon-like twisted fibers When fibers have been mercerized, they swell and the convolutions are no longer visible. Immature fibers often are not twisted. Transverse cut : Kidney bean shape, clear lumen. Prominent fiber wall.
Herzberg staining	Red light purple.
Graff 'C' staining	Yellow.

Botanical classification

Gossypium arboreum L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant growing area

Gossypium arboreum L. is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World; it is supposed to be native from India and Sri Lanka.

All species have been introduced to China.

China (Cultivated. Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

The cultivated species (triploid) are Gossypium barbadense L, Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium religiosum L.

Gossypium arboreum is a perennial shrub up to 1.50m in height; other species can be perennial herbs or shrubs.

There are two types of fibers: long fibers (lints), and shorter hairs (linters).

The seeds, after removal of the fibers can produce oil. The roots are used as decoctions in the Indian pharmacopoeia for the treatment of urinary diseases.

The fibers used for textiles and paper production come from the hairs of the seeds of one or an other species.

In the case of paper, fibers tend to come from rags, they are rarely used raw. But in this case, the linters or more rarely, lints are used.

China:

Culture really starts in the Song dynasty (960-1279) provided by two routes:

The south, from Indochina to Guangdong, Fujian.

The west to Gansu and Shanxi, through Turkestan. It is the variety Herbaceum that will not exceed the north boarders. The other will spread everywhere and quickly.

At the end of the 13th century, cotton has come to Chang Jiang (Yangzi River or blue River) and becomes a real industry.

As the culture takes a lot of water, it is planted in rotation with rice in the south and wheat in the north.

In the late Ming (1368-1644) it is the most important crop in the delta of the Chang Jiang.

Japan:

Cotton has been used in Japon since the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Korea:

In Korea, stem is also used.

Preparation process for making paper

Cotton tree bears flowers and fruits at the same time, so harvesting lasts several months when the fruit is ripe: the capsules burst and release the fibers which are torn.

Cotton is dried in the air for several days. The long fibers are separated from the seeds and waste and will then go through a further cleaning. The short fibers are collected with gins.

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Used part of the plant:

Fruit

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Ulmus Cavaleriei H.Lév. © Flora of China

Identification

Fibre type	Bast fiber
Average fibre lenght	1.66-9.94mm
Average fibre width	8.3-25.4µm
Fibre ends	variable, often pointed.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases	Nodes and dislocations.
Associated cells
Special features	Looks like kozo but thinner and shorter fiber with transparent membrane, thick wall and a lumen.
Herzberg staining
Graff 'C' staining	Pink to purple.

Botanical classification

Ulmus cavaleriei H. Lev.

Order:

Rosales

Family:

Ulmaceae

Synonyms:

Pteroceltis tatarinowii Maxim.

Plant growing area

China (Anhui, Fujian, South Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning (Dalian), South East Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang), Mongolia.

Grows in mountainous regions on limestone, river banks at an altitude 100-1500 m.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China.

China:

Anhui, Sichuan, Zhejiang.

Plant cultivation and use

Ulmus cavaleriei better known as Pteroceltis tatarinowii is a deciduous tree reaching to 20m height. It is in bloom from March to May. It adapts to different types of soils but prefers well-drained loamy soils.

It is grown for its fibres used in the manufacture of paper, its fine timber, and its seeds from which oil is extracted.

China:

This plant is the basic material to make Xuan paper which is produced in Jing County, Anhui Province. The paper is made from the fibers of the bark of blue sandalwood and rice straw. It is the mixture of the two types of fibers that gives to paper its qualities for painting and calligraphy, in particular the effect of incisive brushstrokes.

The quality depends on the proportions between the bark of sandalwood and the rice straw.

Xuan paper was first mentioned in ancient Chinese books such as "Li Dai Ming Hua Ji" or "Notes of Past Famous Paintings" dated mid 9th century and "Xīn Tángshū" or "New Book of Tang", edited by official scholars of the Song Dynasty, dated 1060.

Its manufacture in Jing County, dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Neighbouring cities such as Xuancheng and Taiping cities, were production centers for blue sandalwood grew there. The Jing county was under the jurisdiction of Xuanzhou Prefecture in the Tang Dynasty which gave it its name.

But by the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the paper industries in Huizhou, Chizhou and Xuanzhou were gradually transferred to Jing County since the raw materials were abundant there: Ulmus cavaleriei or Pteroceltis tatarinowii is an endemic species and the rice is grown on site. The climate with abundant rainfall provides a favourable environment for the growth of blue sandalwood and rice.

Originally, rice straw is added as a supplement to reduce the costs of raw materials. Other materials such as bamboo or mulberry will be also used during the Song and Yuan dynasties (1280-1368).

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the paper industry grew rapidly developing numerous kinds of papers.

In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, Xuan paper manufacturing was already in decline and false Xuan papers began to be produced, using bleached bamboo fibers.

The famous famous Xuan paper is the "red star brand " named after a modern factory.

Japan:

This plant does not grow in Japan. The papers produced in Japan as senshi do not contain blue sandalwood but are made from rice straw and bamboo fibers. They are white, very smooth and they absorb ink well; as true Chinese Xuan papers they are devoted to calligraphy, painting and printing.

Preparation process for making paper

China:

It is grown from cuttings. After two years, the branches are cut and tied in bundles which are steamed for several hours in order to peel the bark. Harvesting takes place in autumn or in early winter.
The bark is then retted for several months in water so that the dark outer bark can be easily removed from the white inner bark. The remains of the black bark are scraped to keep only the whitebark.
The bark is cooked in a weak alkaline solution (wood ash or sodium carbonate) and is then bleached in the sun (or recently using hypochlorite). It is then cooked again and again sun bleached. The bark is placed on the mountainside, on rocks or on the banks of rivers. This bleaching takes several months of exposure by turning the fiber bundles.

The straw pulp previously prepared (see rice or wheat straw) is added to the bark fibers and the whole is beaten in a Hollander beater, or in the past using a water beater.

As the sheets are large (70/140cm), they are manufactured by two workers. The stack of sheets is pressed in the late afternoon. The sheets are then dried on a heating surface.

Variation: The bark and the straw are soaked in a lime water bath for a few days and then cooked in a weak alkaline solution (wood ash or sodium carbonate).

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Japan:

Suffixes : kami, gami, shi = paper.

In Japan kozo papers are the most numerous

Used part of the plant:

Bark

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Daphne pseudomezereum A. Gray © Flora of China

Daphne pseudomezereum A. Gray © L.B. Vilmont

Identification

Fibre type	Bast fiber
Average fibre lenght	5mm
Average fibre width
Fibre ends
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases
Associated cells
Special features	Looks like gampi and mitsumata.
Herzberg staining
Graff 'C' staining	Grey-blue.

Botanical classification

Daphne pseudomezereum A. Gray

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Thymelaeaceae

Synonyms:

Daphne japonica Siebold & Zucc.

Plant growing area

China (Jilin, Liaoning), Japan, Korea.

It grows in forest at an altitude from 800 to 1600m.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

China:

Xizang (Tibet).

Plant cultivation and use

Daphnes are shrubs or sub-shrubs of the Thymelaceae family. Daphnes comprise from 50 to 95 species, according to the classifications. Some species grow in the plains, others in the mountains, in rockery; they appreciate calcareous soils. The plants are recognizable by their colorful flowers and toxic fruits.
There is a great confusion among the various Daphnes, Edgeworthias and especially Wikstroemias because their morphologies are very similar.

The etymology of daphne pseudomezereum comes on one hand, from the name of the nymph, daughter of Peneus, who pursued by Apollo, was transformed into a laurel tree to escape, and on the other hand from the Arabic word mezereum which means toxic.

Daphne pseudomezereum is a shrub, deciduous in summer, which can reach 1.5 m in height and prefers sunny areas. Flowers are pale green and flowering occurs in March to April. It is easy to propagate but its life does not exceed ten years.

The bark contains a large amount of hemicelluloses which makes it valuable in the manufacture of paper. Daphnes are the base plants for making paper at the foot of Himalayas.

China:

Daphne papers are considered as the best in Tibet where they are called dug-shog which means poison paper because of the repellent properties of the bark.

Japan:

The plant has been used in the manufacture of paper during the Nara period (710-794).

Paper names

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Used part of the plant:

Bark

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Primary tabs

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Ulmus cavaleriei H. Lev.

Daphne pseudomezereum A. Gray

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Primary tabs

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Gossypium arboreum L.

Ulmus cavaleriei H. Lev.

Daphne pseudomezereum A. Gray

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