WATER SOLUBLE PRODUCTS ARE PREPARED FROM HEMICELLULOSES BY REACTING THEM IN AN ALKALINE MEDIUM WITH EPICHLOROHYDRIN AND AN ALKANOLAMAINE OR WITH AN ADDUCT OF EPICHLOROHYDRIN AND A TERTIARY AMINE OR ITS SALT. THE HEMICELLULOSES WHICH ARE USED HAVE AN AVERAGE DEGREE OF POLYMERIZATION NO GREATER THAN 400. THE PRODUCTS WHILE STILL IN AN ALKALINE STATE OR NEUTRALIZED IF DESIRED ARE USEFUL AS ADHESIVES FORMING STRONG, WATER SOLUBLE, NONHYGROSCOPIC ADHESIVES UPON DRYING. THE WATER SOLUBLE PRODUCTS UPON PROTONATION WITH A MINERAL ACID FORM EFFECTIVE FLOCCULANTS FOR AQUEOUS SUSPENSIONS AND CAN BE DRIED TO COLORLESS, NON-HYGROSCOPIC POWDERS. THE HEMICELLULOSES ARE EXTRACTED FROM VEGETABLR MATTER SUCH AS WOOD OR SEPARATED FROM PULP BLEACHING AND REFINING EFFLUENTS BY KNOWN METHODS AND, DEPENDING UPON THEIR COMPOSITION, CAN BE S ADVANTAGEOUSLY PRETREATED TO INCREASE THEIR SOLUBILITY AND REACTIVITY IN AQUEOUS AND ALKALINE SOLUTIONS.