Abstract: A method of creating a number of separate product streams from an agricultural waste material, comprising: providing a starting material consisting of an agricultural waste material; hydrolyzing the starting material with an acid solution at atmospheric pressure, and temperatures not exceeding about 100.degree. C., to create an absorbent, hydrolyzed solid residue and a xylose-containing liquor; reserving the xylose-containing liquor; and delignifying the hydrolyzed solid residue with a basic solution, to create a fiber solid residue suitable for use as an absorbent material, and a dissolved lignin-containing solution.