The Jute Industry: from Seed to Finished Cloth | Page 2

THE NEW WAY 41. CROPPING MACHINE AT
WORK 42. DOUBLE CROPPING MACHINE 43. DAMPING
MACHINE 44. CALENDER 45. HYDRAULIC MANGLE 46.
FOLDING, LAPPING OR PLEATING MACHINE 47. CRISPING,
CREASING OR RIGGING MACHINE 48, SEMI-MECHANICAL
BAG OR SACK CUTTING MACHINE 49. OVERHEAD (LAING)
SACK SEWING MACHINE. 50. SACK PRINTING MACHINE.

THE JUTE INDUSTRY
FROM SEED TO FINISHED CLOTH
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY

The five main fibres used for ordinary textile purposes are cotton, flax,
jute, silk and wool; in this group jute has been considered in general as
being of the least value, not only in regard to price, but also in regard to
utility. It is only under phenomenal conditions which arise from a great
upheaval such as that which took place during the world's great war
from 1914 onwards that, from a commercial point of view, the extreme
importance of the jute fibre and its products are fully realized. Millions
of sand bags were made from the year 1914 to the year 1918 solely for
military purposes, while huge quantities of jute cloth were utilized as
the covering material for food stuffs of various kinds, thus liberating
the other textile fibres and cloth for equally important purposes. It is on
record that in one short period of fourteen days, 150,000,000 sand-bags
were collected, packed and despatched from Dundee to be used as
protective elements in various ways and seats of conflict.
A glance into the records of the textile industries will reveal the fact
that the jute fibre was practically unknown in these islands a hundred
years ago. Unsuccessful attempts were certainly made to import the
fibre into Great Britain in the latter part of the 18th century, and it has
been used in India for centuries in the making of cord, twine and coarse
fabrics, because the fibre is indigenous to that country. And since all
the manufacturing methods there, for a considerable time were manual
ones, the industry--if such it could be called--moved along slowly,
providing employment only for the needs of a small section of the
community on the Eastern shores.
The first small imports of jute fibre were due to the instigation of Dr.
Roxburgh and the East India Company, but it was only after repeated
requests that any attempt was made to utilize the samples of jute for
practical experiments The fibre was so unlike any of the existing
staples that those interested in textiles were not anxious to experiment
with it, but ultimately they were persuaded to do so; these persistent
requests for trials, and the interest which was finally aroused, formed
the nucleus of the existing important jute industry.
Apart from the above-mentioned efforts, the introduction of the jute
fibre into Great Britain was delayed until 1822, when the first small

consignment reached Dundee--now the Western home of the jute
industry. This quantity was imported into this country with the special
object of having it treated by mechanical means, much in the same way
as flax fibre was being treated. At this period Dundee was a
comparatively important textile centre in regard to the spinning and
weaving of flax and hemp; it was, in consequence, only natural that the
longer, but otherwise apparently similar and coarser, jute fibre should
be submitted to the machinery in vogue for the preparation and
spinning of flax and hemp. When we say similar, we mean in general
appearance; it is now well-known that there is a considerable difference
between jute fibre and those of hemp and flax, and hence the
modifications in preparation which had ultimately to be introduced to
enable the jute fibre to be successfully treated. These modifications
shall be discussed at a later stage.
It might be stated that while only 368 cwt. of jute fibre was reported as
being shipped from Calcutta to this country in 1828, the imports
gradually increased as time passed on. The yarns which were made
from the fibre were heavier or thicker than those in demand for the
usual types of cloth, and it was desirable that other types of cloth
should be introduced so that these yarns could be utilized. About the
year 1838, representatives of the Dutch Government placed
comparatively large orders with the manufacturers for jute bags to be
used for carrying the crop of coffee beans from their West Indian
possessions. The subsequent rapid growth of the industry, and the
demand for newer types of cloth, are perhaps due more to the above
fortunate experiment than to any other circumstance.
By the year or season 1850-51, the British imports of jute fibre had
increased to over 28,000 tons, and they reached 46,000 tons in the
season 1860-61. Attention meanwhile had been directed to the
possibility of manufacturing jute goods by machinery in India--the seat
of the cultivation and growth of the fibre. At least such