BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 23 
age rarely permitted himself to be assisted. He maintained an active 
correspondence with many publishers, and collated the precious works, 
which came to him in sheets, himself. The least defect in a page of 
the text or in a plate, never escaped his attention. Subscriber to a 
large number of journals, he attached great importance to their com- 
pletion. In a word, no work was ever placed on the shelves of his 
library but clothed in a binding of good taste. 
It is with regret that we see the dispersion of so handsome a collec- 
tion, which has been the object of so much solicitude, and which is the 
reflection of so vast a knowledge. A catalogue is recently published, 
which is not only complete, but very extensive; it contains the books 
which treat of the various studies of him who collected them; and 
those studies embraced the whole range of natural science. In his 
choice of books, Mr. Reinwardt did not allow himself to be guided by 
the considerations of a mere book-collector, but by the desire to as- 
semble all that appeared remarkable in the branches of science which 
he cultivated; and to obtain his object he spared neither pains nor 
expense. The sale of this collection, it is expected, will take place i in 
the month of March, 1855.—J. G. 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
PLANTAIN FIBRE. 
[Our own country and our Colonies too are alike engaged in seek- 
ing for useful vegetable fibres, whether for textile articles or for the 
manufacture of paper, and we are almost daily receiving samples from 
various friends. Our impression is, that the fibre of the Plantain (Musa 
Paradisiaca) is that which will prove of the greatest commercial im- - 
portance; but the great difficulty has been the want of good and eco- 
nomical machinery for preparing it. We have the pleasure of receiving - 
from a correspondent in Antigua the following statement, which has - 
also appeared in the ‘ Weekly Register, a journal of that island, for 
Tuesday, October 24, 1854.—Ep.] = 
“ There is ample reason to believe that we may safely congratulate : 
West Indians on the completion of a machine which promises to be of - 
