Abstract: In the production of pulp, the amount of ballast in the white liquor is reduced by maintaining the concentration of the green liquor, prior to causticizing thereof to convert it to the white liquor used for cooking the wood, at a level of 110.+-.20 grams per liter total titratable alkali counted as NaOH, maintaining the efficiency of the causticizing operation at 92.+-.3%, and concentrating the white liquor, prior to the cooking, by evaporation to a content of 130-200 grams per liter efficient alkali counted as NaOH.