Holocelluloses isolated from Castanea crenata were hydrolysed by the sulfuric acid of various concentrations, and the sugars contained in the hydrolysates were qualitatively determined by the paper-chromatograms.
The curves of the acid concentration against degradation of the holocelulose had three stages. In the first stage, 0～7% of the holocellulose, probably a part of pentosans, were conversed by 0～30% H_2SO_4 within 30 minutes into xylose, xylobiose and other oligosaccharides. During the process of the preparation of holocellulose, some of pentosans may be removed. In the second stage, 7～45% holocellulose were hydrolysed by 30～62% H_2SO_4 within 30 minutes into oligosaccharides and other degraded hexosans, but glucose could not be found. At the last staged, 45～100% of the holocellulose, were completely hydrolysed by 62-77% H_2SO_4 within 30 minutes to xylose and glucose, but the other than these two sugars were not detected, except a small amount of a reaction products detected at a lower position of the paper-chromatograms.
The velocities of the hydrolysis of the isolated holocellulose and the native or proto holocellulose in its mother wood meals were considered to be almost same at the second and third stages, although the velocities were readily affected by the experimental conditions. On the first stage, the velocities of the isolated were more rapid than the native holocellulose.